Nigeria is the only African country barred from the US Diversity Visa programme for 2026, also known as the Green Card Lottery, according to data published by the US Department of State.
The full ineligibility list for DV-2026 includes 19 countries, with Nigeria being the sole exemption from the African continent. The reason for Nigeria’s exclusion is that it is deemed to have a high rate of migration to the US, making it ineligible for the programme.
Every other African country, including Kenya, Algeria, Egypt, and even smaller nations like Eswatini, Namibia, and Mauritius, had nationals registered under the programme. The Diversity Visa programme offers up to 55,000 permanent resident visas annually to nationals of countries that have historically contributed low volumes of immigrants to the US.
Africa’s Presence in the DV-2026 Programme
The African continent recorded the largest group of prospective applicants in the DV-2026 programme. Approximately 53,939 prospective applicants from 49 African countries were selected, out of about 129,516 registered worldwide.
The countries with the highest numbers of selectees in Africa include:
- Egypt – 5,527
- Algeria – 5,457
- Sudan – 5,226
- Kenya – 3,949
- Morocco – 3,670
- Cameroon – 3,533
- Ethiopia – 3,287
- Ghana – 1,642
The selection was made from 20,822,622 qualified entries submitted during a 37-day registration period.
The September 30 Deadline
Successful candidates have until September 30, 2026, to complete the remaining stages of the visa process. Those who do not obtain a visa or adjust their immigration status before the deadline will lose their selection permanently.
The situation has been complicated by a recent suspension of Diversity Visa issuance announced by the State Department. While applicants can still submit supporting documents and attend scheduled interviews, final visa issuance has been placed on hold.
However, a federal court ruling on August 28, 2026, in Medani et al. v. Trump et al. temporarily vacated a USCIS policy memorandum that had placed Diversity Visa adjustment-of-status applications on hold. The ruling was certified as a class action, potentially extending protection to thousands of affected selectees.
The Bottom Line
Nigeria is the only African country barred from the US Green Card Lottery for 2026 due to historically high immigration rates to the US. Over 53,000 selectees from 49 other African countries are racing to complete their applications before the September 30 deadline. A court ruling has removed some barriers, but a new State Department pause on visa issuance has created fresh uncertainty.
