The Reason Why Nigeria Was Excluded From 2015 D.V Lottery

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.