The United States government has commenced the evacuation of its staff and their families from Nigeria over worsening security concerns across the country.

In a statement posted on social media on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of State said it had authorised the departure of non-emergency personnel and their dependants from its embassy in Abuja.

“Nigeria: On April 8, 2026, the Department of State authorised non-emergency U.S. government employees and U.S. government employee family members to leave U.S. Embassy Abuja due to the deteriorating security situation,” the statement read.

The advisory added that Nigeria remains under a Level 3 travel classification, urging Americans to reconsider travel to the country.

“Reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, and inconsistent availability of health care services. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory,” it stated.

The U.S. government further warned that citizens who must travel to Nigeria should avoid most northern states, as well as Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and parts of Rivers State, citing heightened risks of terrorism and kidnapping.

Meanwhile, Nigeria was ranked fourth in the latest Global Terrorism Index released on March 19, 2026, by the Institute for Economics & Peace, which reported a 46 per cent increase in terrorism-related deaths in 2025.