Why Nigeria Was Excluded From 2015 DV Lottery – U.S Envoy

The United States Consul-General, Mr. Jeffery
Hawkins, on Thursday, gave reasons why
Nigeria was excluded from the 2015 Diversity-
Visa-Programme registration.
Hawkins told journalists at the U.S. Consulate
General in Lagos, that Nigeria was among other
countries that had in the last five years, sent more
than 50,000 immigrants to the country through the
programme.
“As at today, Nigerians have graduated from being
under-represented to being a fully well represented
group in the U.S.
“There is therefore no longer any need to
encourage Nigerians to apply to travel to the U.S.
through the Diversity-Visa-Programme. “Already
there are too many Nigerians in the U.S. that have
benefited from this programme,’’ he said.
The envoy explained that the diversity visa was
created to promote countries with low rates of
immigration to the U.S. Hawkins said that Nigeria
and other affected countries had already exceeded
their quota in the last five years.
He, however, stressed that the U.S. authorities
would continue to give preference to Nigerians
travelling to U.S for visits, business transactions,
studies and professional engagements. “All other
types of immigration from Nigeria to the U.S, apart
from the diversity visa, would continue unabated.
“Also, let me say that the ban has nothing to do
with our relations with Nigeria now, and in the
years ahead,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted
the envoy as saying to journalists. He also
dismissed insinuations making the rounds that the
move was to reduce the number of Nigerians
travelling to the U.S.
The U.S official also said that the development had
“nothing to do with insecurity, activities of Boko
Haram and other forms of upheaval in Nigeria.” It
would be recalled that the U.S. Department of
State, banned Nigeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada,
China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El
Salvador and Haiti from participating in the 2015
Diversity-Visa-Programme.
Other affected countries are: India, Jamaica,
Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea,
United Kingdom and Vietnam.