The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced a temporary halt to regular updates on its official X (formerly Twitter) account following a lapse in U.S. government funding.
In a statement issued on Saturday, January 31, the mission explained that the pause was due to a breakdown in government appropriations. It noted that the account would only be used to share urgent safety and security information until full operations resume.
Despite the funding lapse, the mission reassured the public that passport and visa services would continue both within the United States and at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, subject to prevailing circumstances.
The development coincides with a partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government after Congress failed to pass a 2026 budget before the midnight deadline. While disruptions are expected to be limited, the House of Representatives is anticipated to ratify a Senate-backed funding agreement early next week.
Negotiations reportedly collapsed amid objections from Democrats over the killing of two protesters in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents, which stalled discussions on additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
Senate Democratic Minority Whip Dick Durbin criticised the administration, accusing it of misdirecting resources toward peaceful protesters rather than focusing on serious crimes such as drug trafficking and child exploitation.
Officials indicated that up to 75 percent of federal operations could be affected if the shutdown persists, impacting sectors including education, health, housing, and defence. While a brief disruption is expected, a prolonged shutdown could force tens of thousands of federal workers onto unpaid leave or require them to work without pay until funding is restored.
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