The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a new travel advisory warning its citizens against visiting 21 Nigerian states, citing rising insecurity, terrorism, and kidnappings across the country.
The advisory, released on Thursday, urged British nationals to avoid all travel to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Katsina, and Zamfara states due to what it described as a “high and escalating threat from Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province.”
“There is a high and increasing threat from Islamic State West Africa Province, or Boko Haram, particularly around transport hubs, religious areas and large gatherings,” the FCDO stated on its website.
The office also advised against all but essential travel to Bauchi, Kaduna, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Niger, Kogi, Plateau, and Taraba states, while warning of persistent violent crime, including kidnappings and armed attacks, even in the capital city, Abuja.
In the South-East, the UK cautioned against non-essential travel to Abia, Anambra, and Imo states, citing rising separatist violence, and advised caution in non-riverine areas of Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta due to criminality and militancy.
British citizens in affected areas were urged to remain alert, follow security guidance from local authorities, and review their contingency and insurance plans.
Nigeria has grappled with multifaceted security challenges—from terrorism in the Northeast to banditry, separatist violence, and militancy in other parts of the country—despite ongoing government and military efforts to restore peace.
As the nation continues to fight on multiple fronts, the FCDO’s latest warning renews global attention to Nigeria’s internal security realities.
But what does this mean for Nigeria’s image abroad? Could travel advisories like this further affect investment and tourism in the country? And what more can be done to reassure the world that Nigeria is safe, secure, and open for business?
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