United States has introduced further restrictions on potential asylum seekers by requiring US visa applicants to confirm they do not fear persecution in their home countries.

Donald Trump administration’s goal is to prevent individuals from using non-immigrant visas as a means to claim asylum once they reach US soil.

According to a diplomatic notice sent to all embassies and consulates this week, applicants for non-immigrant visas, including tourists, students, and temporary workers, must now affirm their safety at home to be eligible for entry.

This move is part of a broader shift in policies designed to tighten US immigration controls.

New screening procedures

Consular officers have been instructed to ask two specific questions during the application process:

“Have you experienced harm or mistreatment in your country of nationality or last habitual residence?”

“Do you fear harm or mistreatment in returning to your country of nationality or permanent residence?”

“Visa applicants must respond verbally with a ‘no’ to both questions for the consular officer to continue with visa issuance.”

The statement notes, “Consular officers must prevent abuse of the immigration system by visa applicants who misrepresent their purpose of travel, including those who attempt to obtain nonimmigrant visas for the purpose of claiming asylum upon arrival in the United States.”

A State Department spokesperson defended the measure, stating: “Consular officers are the first line of defence for US national security.

The department uses all available tools and resources to determine whether each visa applicant qualifies under US law”.

To qualify for asylum under current law, an individual must be physically present in the US and be fleeing persecution based on race, religion, or political affiliation.

However, immigration experts warn that these new requirements may force vulnerable individuals into dangerous situations.

Camille Mackler, an immigration policy consultant, told CNN that the directive “is going to put people in really bad, terrible positions of having to make choices that ultimately affect their and their family’s safety.”

She added: “I also think this pushes people to unsafer pathways and unsafer routes, because if you need to leave, you leave, and you do whatever you need to do to do that.”

The rule follows other recent measures, including increased vetting for student visas and a temporary suspension of immigrant visa processing for 75 countries earlier this year.

Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has decried persistent challenges such as vandalism, high operating costs, and regulatory bottlenecks threatening service delivery despite recent improvements in investment inflows.

Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON, warned that the continuous attack are putting strains on Nigeria’s telecom sector which serve as the backbone of the country’s economic and digital systems,

Adebayo, speaking in an interview on ARISE News, described telecommunications as the critical foundation supporting all sectors of the economy.

“Telecom operators are the infrastructure of infrastructures that supports all other sectors,” he said, stressing that the industry remains central to power, transport, security, and financial services.

Adebayo noted that the recent 50% tariff adjustment has helped restore investor confidence in the sector after years of underinvestment.

“It has restored confidence in the sector… we are seeing investment, we are seeing now the impact of that investment,” he said, adding that the sector is now beginning to recover gradually.

But, he warned that improvements in service quality remain constrained by multiple external challenges, including vandalism, insecurity, and regulatory bottlenecks.

“Things can be better… but there are also other external factors… vandalism, behavior of public actors, behavior of non-state actors,” he explained.

Adebayo highlighted the scale of infrastructure damage, particularly on fibre networks, noting a major disparity between international and domestic connectivity routes.

“The fiber optic in the Atlantic… has witnessed probably one outage in two years… the one running from Lagos to Kano, we record an average of about 40 cuts a day,” he said.

He explained that such disruptions significantly increase operating costs and affect service quality across the country.

Beyond vandalism, he pointed to theft of telecom equipment such as batteries and generators, as well as security challenges that prevent timely restoration of services in some regions.

“Issue of security… people are stealing batteries, they’re stealing generators,” he said, noting that some areas remain inaccessible during outages until security conditions improve.

Adebayo also called for urgent reforms in right-of-way charges and taxation policies, arguing that telecom infrastructure should be treated as essential national infrastructure.

“Right of way should become free of charge across the country… issue of multiple taxation… it has to be a thing of the past,” he stated.

On rising energy costs, he said operators are gradually adopting hybrid and renewable energy solutions, although the transition is slow and still exposed to vandalism risks.

“We are doing a lot on renewable energy and providing hybrid solution… but that takes time,” he said.

Adebayo concluded that while policy support and investment inflows are improving the outlook of the sector, sustainable progress will depend on stronger protection of telecom infrastructure and coordinated action among government, regulators, and communities to address vandalism, insecurity, and regulatory inefficiencies.

Opay, a financial technology (fintech) firm, is working with Citigroup Inc., Deutsche Bank AG, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. for an initial public offering (IPO).

According to a report by Bloomberg on Friday,  sources said the platform, backed by SoftBank Group Corp., is considering a listing in the United States and is targeting a valuation of about $4 billion.

They added that the company could proceed with the share sale later this year, although the timing and size of the offering are yet to be finalised.

Opay is one of Africa’s fastest-growing fintech firms, offering mobile payments, transfers, and other financial services across Nigeria.

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The fintech company, Citi, Deutsche Bank, and JPMorgan have not publicly commented on the IPO plans.

Like Opay, Flutterwave, a major fintech company in Africa is planning an IPO.