The United States government has issued a travel advisory warning its citizens against visiting 18 Nigerian states due to heightened risks of terrorism, kidnapping, violent crime, armed gangs, and inadequate healthcare services.

The advisory, published on the website of the US Mission in Nigeria on Tuesday, classified the listed states under Level 4—the highest security threat level—and urged Americans to avoid travel to these areas under any circumstances.

“Reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, armed gangs, and inconsistent availability of health care services,” the advisory stated. “Some places in Nigeria have an increased risk. Overall, all locations carry significant security risks.”

The states listed under Level 4 are divided based on the predominant threats in those areas.

States flagged for terrorism and kidnapping:
1. Borno
2. Yobe
3. Kogi
4. Northern Adamawa

States flagged for kidnapping risks:
5. Bauchi
6. Gombe
7. Kaduna
8. Kano
9. Katsina
10. Sokoto
11. Zamfara

States flagged for crime, kidnapping, and armed gangs:
12. Abia
13. Anambra
14. Bayelsa
15. Delta
16. Enugu
17. Imo
18. Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt)

The advisory also highlighted the unreliability of Nigeria’s healthcare system, warning that American citizens should not expect the same level of medical care available in the US. It noted the frequent shortages of essential medicines, limited access to emergency services, and prevalence of counterfeit drugs.
“U.S. citizens should not expect the same level of health care to be available in Nigeria as they do in the United States,” the statement read.

Travellers who still choose to visit Nigeria are advised to take extra precautions. These include carrying valid identification at all times, avoiding large gatherings, ensuring all vaccinations are up to date, bringing sufficient medication, purchasing medical evacuation insurance, and enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive alerts and allow their whereabouts to be monitored during emergencies.