The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced a temporary suspension of regular updates on its official social media account, citing a lapse in government appropriations linked to the ongoing partial shutdown in the United States.
In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Saturday, the Mission said the account would not be updated regularly until full operations resume, except for urgent safety and security information.
“Due to the lapse in appropriations, this account will not be updated regularly until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information,” the Mission stated.
Despite the suspension of routine social media updates, the Mission assured the public that passport and visa services would continue as circumstances allow.
“At this time, scheduled passport and visa services in the United States and at U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas will continue during the lapse in appropriations as the situation permits,” it added.
US Government Enters Partial Shutdown
The announcement comes as the United States entered a partial government shutdown on Saturday after a midnight deadline passed without Congress approving a 2026 budget.
However, disruption is expected to be limited, as the House of Representatives is expected to move early next week to ratify a Senate-backed deal aimed at restoring funding.
The funding lapse followed a breakdown in negotiations, driven by Democratic anger over the killing of two protesters in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents.
The incident reportedly derailed talks over additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Reacting to the situation, Senate Democratic Minority Whip, Dick Durbin, criticised the Trump administration’s handling of immigration enforcement and public protests.
“Instead of going after drug smugglers, child predators, and human traffickers, the Trump Administration is wasting valuable resources targeting peaceful protestors in Chicago and Minneapolis,” Durbin wrote on social media, adding that the administration’s actions were making Americans “less safe.”
Agencies Affected
Reports indicate that roughly three-quarters of federal operations are affected by the shutdown, potentially triggering disruptions across a wide range of agencies, including those responsible for education, health, housing and defence.
Federal departments were expected to begin implementing shutdown plans overnight. Still, leaders from both parties suggested that the Senate’s action makes a short disruption more likely than a prolonged standoff.
If the House approves the funding package in the coming days, government operations could be restored quickly, reducing the impact on public services, contractors and federal employees.
However, if the shutdown extends beyond a few days, tens of thousands of federal workers could face unpaid leave or be required to work without receiving pay until funding is restored.
