The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced the temporary closure of its Embassy in Abuja and Consulate General in Lagos in observance of the Juneteenth National Independence Day holiday.
In a statement posted on its official X handle on Thursday, the mission said both offices would remain closed on Friday, June 19, 2026, in line with the annual US public holiday.
“The U.S. Embassy in Abuja and Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Friday, June 19, 2026, in observance of Juneteenth National Independence Day,” the statement read.
The closure is expected to affect routine consular activities, including visa interviews, passport services and other non-emergency operations, with normal services set to resume after the holiday.
Juneteenth, celebrated every June 19, marks the end of slavery in the United States and commemorates the arrival of Union soldiers in Galveston, Texas, in 1865, when enslaved African Americans were informed of their freedom.
The day became a federal holiday in the United States in 2021 following legislation signed into law by former President Joe Biden.
Since its recognition, US government institutions, including embassies and consulates across the world, have observed the occasion annually.
