Wole Soyinka U.S. visa revocation
Nobel laureate and acclaimed Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka has revealed that his non-immigrant visa to the United States has been revoked by the U.S. government.
On 23 October 2025, Soyinka received an official letter from the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos informing him that his visa had been revoked under U.S. Department of State regulation 22 CFR 41.122 owing to “additional information” that emerged after the visa was issued. The letter asked him to surrender the physical document for cancellation.
During a media briefing in Lagos, Soyinka described the development as both “unexpected” and “puzzling” because, in his words, he has no criminal record or discernible misconduct that might justify such an action.
The writer further stated that he is now effectively barred from entering the United States and does not plan to reapply at this point. He clarified, however, that he holds no personal hostility toward the U.S. and remains open to engaging with Americans through scholarly or cultural engagements in Nigeria.
