The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe (SAN), has defended the U.S. Mission’s new directive requiring non-immigrant visa applicants to disclose social media accounts from the past five years.

The rule, included on the DS-160 visa form, warns that failure to provide this information could lead to visa denial and future ineligibility. The NBA President noted that the measure falls within a country’s sovereign right to control entry.

He compared it to a homeowner screening visitors, stating that applicants who object can simply choose not to apply. Contrastingly, Senior Advocate Titilola Akinlawon however criticized the directive as an infringement on fundamental rights, urging Nigerians to focus on improving their own country rather than feeling compelled to travel abroad.

She revealed that despite holding a five year U.S. visa, she had opted not to use it. Another lawyer, Ken Ahia (SAN) supported the policy, likening it to employer conditions for job applicants, noting that social media activity is already public. However, he questioned how the rule would apply to those without social media accounts.

Professor Sam Erugo (SAN) suggested that the Nigerian government should engage the U.S. Mission diplomatically. He argued that visa issuance is a privilege, not a right, and the disclosure of public social media information does not constitute a violation of privacy or freedom of expression, which are not absolute.