The United States Embassy in Nigeria has introduced a new requirement for visa applicants, mandating the disclosure of all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years.

The directive, announced on Monday in a post on the Mission’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, follows the US Department of State’s renewed push to strengthen national security through enhanced screening procedures.

According to the Embassy, applicants will be required to enter their social media history on the DS-160 visa application form, which is mandatory for non-immigrant visa requests.

Embassy Warns Against Omissions

In its statement, the US Mission in Nigeria said:

“Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last 5 years on the DS-160 visa application form. Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit. Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.”

This means that any applicant who leaves out a username, whether deliberately or by mistake, risks being denied a visa and possibly losing eligibility for future applications.

Security First

The new measure is part of Washington’s broader effort to track online activities of visa seekers as a way of preventing security threats and improving border safety. While some Nigerians expressed concerns about privacy, US officials argue the requirement is a vital tool for protecting citizens and monitoring global risks.

Wider Impact on Applicants

Visa experts suggest the rule could affect thousands of Nigerian students, tourists, and business travellers seeking entry to the United States. Applicants are now advised to carefully review their digital footprint to avoid errors that could jeopardize their chances of approval.

What Applicants Should Do

Immigration consultants recommend that Nigerians keep a record of all past social media accounts and ensure consistency in their visa applications. The Embassy also urges honesty and transparency when filling out the DS-160 form.

Comrade Fatoki Abiodun Olumide, popularly known as Joorefade, has called on residents of Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and Lagos State at large to take full advantage of the ongoing Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

The online pre-registration portal opened yesterday, Monday, 18 August 2025, while physical registration at INEC-approved centres will begin on Monday, 25 August 2025.

According to INEC, the exercise is open to first-time voters, Nigerians relocating from previous polling units, those who lost or damaged their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC), and citizens needing corrections to their voter information.

‘This is a crucial civic responsibility’ – Joorefade

Speaking to residents of Alimosho, Comrade Fatoki urged every eligible citizen to embrace the process as a way of strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.

He said:

“This is a crucial opportunity for all eligible citizens, particularly constituents of Alimosho LGA, to fulfill their civic responsibility by registering to vote. By participating, they secure the right to elect leaders who will deliver the dividends of democracy and ensure good governance for the people.”

He stressed that an engaged electorate was vital for the progress of Ayobo-Ipaja and Nigeria as a whole.

Where to register

Eligible citizens can complete their registration online via the INEC portal at cvr.inecnigeria.org before visiting physical locations to finalize the process.

Registration will also take place at INEC offices across local governments and LCDAs in Lagos State.

Building a greater Ayobo-Ipaja

Comrade Fatoki called on residents to act promptly, reminding them that participation in elections begins with voter registration.

“Together, let’s join hands to build a greater Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA,” he said.

The call comes as INEC intensifies preparations for upcoming off-cycle and general elections, with millions of Nigerians expected to register nationwide.

Six civil society organisations have petitioned the Lagos State House of Assembly, urging lawmakers to halt the Lagos Water Corporation’s (LWC) push for a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in water supply, warning that privatisation could worsen access to clean water in the state.

The petition, jointly signed by the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF), Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), Child Health Organisation, New Life Community Care Initiative (NELCCI), and the Ecumenical Water Network Africa/Blue Communities Africa (EWNA/BCA), was made public on Monday.

The move comes after the Lagos Water Corporation, with support from WaterAid, hosted a Stakeholders’ Engagement on August 15, 2025, at the Protea Hotel, Ikeja. The event was aimed at attracting private investment for infrastructure and securing public buy-in for the PPP initiative.

However, the groups described the meeting as “a façade,” alleging that it was presented as public consultation while the real intention was to push privatisation.

‘PPP is being forced on Lagosians’

In the petition, the organisations argued that Lagos residents have consistently rejected water privatisation but are being ignored.

They said:

“The event was only portrayed as public participation in decision-making when in actual fact it aimed to ram the PPP down the throats of Lagosians.”

The petitioners also expressed concern over comments credited to Hon. Steven Ogundipe, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, who reportedly pledged swift legislative backing for the PPP initiative.

UK’s privatisation failure cited as warning

The groups pointed to the United Kingdom’s experience, noting that water privatisation there, once promoted globally as a success story, has been marred by profit-driven practices.

They referenced a 2024 report by the Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU) of the University of Greenwich, which revealed that investors in England and Wales’ water sector withdrew more than £85.2 billion from the industry over three decades.

According to the petition, this demonstrates that privatisation often prioritises profit over service delivery, leading to public distrust and disinvestment.

Calls for probe into water sector spending

The petitioners linked Lagos’ poor water access to weak legislative oversight. They demanded an investigation into budget allocations to the sector since 1999, citing specific projects and expenditures:

N4 billion awarded for Otta-Ikosi waterworks in 2007

N3 billion spent on an Independent Power Plant, with an additional N180 million monthly on fuel

N897 million for rehabilitation of Iju and Adiyan waterworks

N789 million for rehabilitation of mini and micro waterworks

N2.7 billion for rehabilitation of Ishasi waterworks

N950 million budgeted for chemicals in 2023

N315 million paid to a contractor for liquid alum supply in October 2023

N1.2 billion budgeted for chemicals in 2024

N9.5 million for repairs at Iju and Adiyan

The groups argued that if funds had been properly monitored and used, the water corporation would have been in a stronger position to deliver services without relying on private investors.

Demand for alternative solutions

The petition called on lawmakers to:

Halt ongoing PPP and privatisation plans

Terminate collaborations that support privatisation, including those with WaterAid

Increase budgetary allocations to the water sector with strict oversight

Investigate and blacklist defaulting contractors while recovering diverted funds

Explore the Public-Public-Partnership (PuP) model, which has recorded success in other countries

They stressed that a PuP model, based on cooperation between public utilities, could offer a sustainable alternative to privatisation.

The petition was endorsed by Philip Jakpor, Executive Director of the Renevlyn Development Initiative, who confirmed that the groups are united in pressing for transparency and accountability in Lagos’ water sector.