The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced that its Embassy in Abuja and Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in honour of the late former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari.
The announcement was made in a brief statement posted on the embassy’s verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday. It reads:
“The U.S. Embassy in Abuja and Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in observance of the public holiday declared by the Nigerian government in honour of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari. All visa appointments scheduled for that day will be rescheduled.”
The closure follows the Nigerian government’s declaration of a public holiday as part of a week-long national mourning period announced by President Bola Tinubu to pay tribute to the late leader, whose death was confirmed on Sunday.
Reports from SaharaReporters indicate that plans to repatriate Buhari’s remains from London were delayed due to logistical challenges, including hospital protocols and flight scheduling issues. As a result, the return of the late President’s body was postponed from Monday to Tuesday.
Bashir Ahmad, a former aide to Buhari, confirmed that his remains are now expected to arrive in Katsina by noon on Tuesday, with burial rites to follow at 2 p.m. in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.
As part of the national mourning, flags across the country are being flown at half-mast. The U.S. mission’s closure reflects typical diplomatic protocol observed during significant national events in host countries.
Affected visa applicants will be notified of new appointment dates in due course.
