Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has revealed that his U.S. visa has been revoked, effectively barring him from entering the country — a decision he described as baffling and unjustified.
Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, Soyinka said he received an official notification from the U.S. Consulate in Lagos dated October 23, informing him that his non-immigrant B1/B2 visa had been revoked under provisions of the U.S. Department of State regulations.
“I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me,” he said, explaining that he called the briefing to inform event organisers in the U.S. not to expect his attendance.
The renowned playwright and academic expressed deep confusion over the decision, noting that he has no criminal record or history of misconduct that could justify such an action. Initially, he dismissed the notice as a possible scam — even suspecting it might be “AI-generated” — until he confirmed its authenticity. Soyinka added that he declined an invitation from the Consulate for a reassessment meeting the next day, calling the request “suspicious.”
The revocation comes amid growing reports of tighter U.S. visa restrictions on Nigerians. Earlier in July, the U.S. Embassy reduced most non-immigrant visas from five-year multiple-entry to three-month single-entry permits, while several cases of quiet visa cancellations citing “new information” have surfaced.
Soyinka said he has always enjoyed cordial relations with American authorities and hopes the issue will soon be resolved, though he described the development as troubling for what it suggests about due process and diplomatic transparency.
