A viral TikTok video claiming that former President Donald Trump announced a new visa ban on Nigerian professionals has been debunked as manipulated content.
The video, which has amassed over two million views, falsely suggests that Trump issued a policy shift to restrict visa approvals for Nigerians in critical professions, such as doctors, nurses, and engineers.
The TikTok video, shared widely across social media platforms, includes an altered audio clip that falsely attributes the announcement to Trump. The voice, resembling Trump’s, states, “I am announcing a temporary policy shift, one that aims to encourage Nigerians, especially those in critical professions, to stay, invest, and work in their homeland.” The video claims this new policy will limit visa approvals for Nigerian professionals, allegedly as a way to help the country’s economy.
However, AFP Fact Check found that the audio had been artificially generated, and the video was a manipulated version of Trump’s victory speech from November 5, 2024, following his re-election. A closer inspection of the footage reveals a mismatch between the audio and Trump’s lip movements, indicating the clip had been altered.
The original speech, published by FOX 5 Washington DC, contains no mention of Nigerian visa restrictions. In his address, Trump focused on immigration issues, stating, “We are going to fix our borders… We want people to come back in… but they have to come in legally.” There was no reference to Nigeria or any specific visa policies.
The video’s misleading claims were amplified by the context of Trump’s previous travel ban in 2020, which targeted Nigeria along with several other countries. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Trump introduced new restrictions on Nigerian professionals in his recent speech.
The “Japa” phenomenon, referring to the mass migration of Nigerians seeking better opportunities abroad, particularly in the U.S., is fueled by high unemployment, economic challenges, and poverty in Nigeria. According to the UN, 1.7 million Nigerians emigrated in 2020, up from 990,000 a decade earlier. Despite this, the viral video misrepresented Trump’s message to capitalize on these ongoing migration trends.
AFP Fact Check reached out to the U.S. Consulate in Nigeria for a comment on the matter and will provide updates as necessary. The incident highlights the risks of misinformation, especially regarding sensitive issues like immigration policy.
