The United States Department of State has placed 23 countries on its highest travel advisory, Level 4, warning American citizens not to travel to the listed destinations because of serious security risks and limited ability of the US government to provide assistance.
In an updated travel advisory posted on its official TravelGov X account and sighted on Saturday, the department said Level 4 represents its highest travel warning and is reserved for countries where local conditions are considered extremely dangerous.
The State Department advised Americans to avoid travelling to the affected countries for any reason.
“We issue Travel Advisories with Levels 1–4. Level 4 means DO NOT TRAVEL. We assign Level 4 based on local conditions and/or our limited ability to help Americans there,” the department said.
It added, “These places are dangerous. Do not go for ANY reason.”
According to the updated advisory, the 23 countries placed under the Level 4 “Do Not Travel” category are Afghanistan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Uganda, Ukraine and Yemen.
Of the 23 countries, 11 are in Africa. They include Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
The State Department explained that countries are assigned Level 4 status either because of severe security conditions or because the US government’s ability to provide emergency assistance to its citizens in those locations is significantly limited.
The latest advisory comes months after the US retained Nigeria under Level 3, which advises Americans to “Reconsider Travel” because of security concerns.
Although Nigeria was not included among the countries under the highest Level 4 category, the State Department maintained its warning against travelling to several Nigerian states, which remain under the Level 4 advisory.
The states include Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe and the northern part of Adamawa State in the North.
In the South, the advisory also covers Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo and Rivers State, excluding Port Harcourt.
According to the US government, Americans should reconsider travelling to Nigeria because of crime, terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest and inconsistent healthcare services.
It added that travel to the listed Level 4 states is strongly discouraged because of the higher security risks in those areas.
The travel advisory system used by the United States is designed to provide information to American citizens planning trips abroad.
Level 1, the lowest advisory, encourages travellers to exercise normal precautions. Level 2 advises increased caution, while Level 3 urges travellers to reconsider their plans because of significant risks. Level 4, the highest category, advises against all travel.
The US government regularly reviews and updates the advisories based on developments such as armed conflicts, terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest, natural disasters, disease outbreaks and the ability of US officials to provide consular services.
Travel advisories do not prevent citizens from visiting countries on the list, but they serve as official warnings to help travellers assess potential risks before making travel decisions.
Following the US decision to retain Nigeria on Level 3 and maintain Level 4 warnings for some states, the Nigerian government dismissed suggestions that the advisory reflected a nationwide security crisis.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the US assessment as a routine precaution based on the country’s internal security protocols.
According to the minister, while Nigeria continues to face security challenges in some parts of the country, there has been no breakdown of law and order.
He maintained that the country remains stable and that security agencies are working to address threats posed by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups.
The Federal Government has repeatedly stated that military operations and improved intelligence gathering have led to significant progress in tackling insecurity in several parts of the country, although attacks still occur in some states.
Nigeria has in recent years intensified security operations against insurgents in the North-East, armed bandits in the North-West and kidnappers operating in different parts of the country.
Authorities have also continued to strengthen cooperation with neighbouring countries and international partners to combat terrorism and transnational crime.
Despite these efforts, several foreign governments, including the United States and the United Kingdom, periodically update their travel advisories based on their own security assessments.
Such advisories are common diplomatic tools used by governments worldwide to guide their citizens travelling abroad and are reviewed regularly as security conditions change.
The latest US advisory is expected to remain under periodic review, with updates issued whenever there are significant improvements or deterioration in security conditions in the affected countries.