Soyinka made the disclosure on Tuesday during a media briefing at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos, noting that he had received an official letter of revocation from the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, dated October 23, 2025.
“It is necessary for me to hold this conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for this event or that event do not waste their time. I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me,” Soyinka said.
The letter, issued by the Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Section, stated that his B1/B2 visa—which allows temporary travel for business or tourism—had been revoked under U.S. Department of State regulations.
Soyinka, however, expressed confusion over the reason, stressing that he had no criminal record or history of misconduct that could have prompted such an action.
“I’m still looking into my past history… I don’t have any past criminal record or even a felony or misdemeanour to qualify for the revocation,” he said. “Have I ever misbehaved toward the United States of America? Have I gone against the law anywhere?”
The development follows an earlier report by PM News on September 10, 2025, where Soyinka stated that he would not honour an invitation from the U.S. Consulate for a visa re-interview scheduled for the following day.
At the time, the Nobel laureate said he initially thought the letter was a scam or an AI-generated message, noting that his previous engagements with U.S. officials had always been “courteous.”
While the U.S. authorities have not commented on the reason for the revocation, the move comes amid stricter U.S. immigration measures aimed at curbing the influx of migrants.