Nigeria is not on the list of countries facing an entry ban into Saudi Arabia from April 13, Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar has clarified.
Tuggar said in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, that Saudi authorities officially confirmed yesterday that a viral memo suggesting Nigeria’s inclusion in the list was false.
He described the document, which named Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco.
India, Pakistan and seven others as the affected countries, as misleading and inaccurate.
“The Saudi Tourism Centre confirmed no such directive exists. Current official travel guidelines only apply to the Hajj pilgrimage. To clarify, the only restriction concerns tourist visa holders during the Hajj period,” said the minister.
Holders of tourist visas cannot perform Hajj, enter or remain in Makkah between April 29 and June 11 (01 Thul Quda to 14 Thul Hijjah 1446 AH).
“The Hajj visa remains the only valid entry permit for pilgrims during that time,” Tuggar explained.
He advised the public to ignore the misleading memo and confirm travel details through official sources before making plans.
“Sharing unverified information causes confusion and may affect travel arrangements,” the minister warned.
“For accurate updates, travellers should consult official Saudi sources, the Nigerian Foreign Ministry, or recognised diplomatic channels,” he added.
