The United States Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2026, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The US Mission in Nigeria announced the closure on Sunday via its official X handle, noting that routine diplomatic services will be unavailable for the day.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal public holiday in the United States, marked annually on the third Monday of January to honor the late civil rights leader’s legacy in promoting racial equality and nonviolent resistance.
The holiday was established on November 2, 1983, after then-President Ronald Reagan signed it into law, and was first observed on January 20, 1986, close to Dr. King’s birthday on January 15.
As a result of the closure, visa and other routine services will be temporarily suspended for one day. However, emergency assistance for US citizens will remain available through designated channels.
Normal operations at both the Abuja Embassy and the Lagos Consulate are scheduled to resume on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
