The revised advisory, announced on Saturday, July 18, through the department's TravelGov X account, stated that a Level 4 designation is reserved for countries where security conditions pose extreme risks or where the US government's ability to assist its citizens is severely limited.
"We issue Travel Advisories with Levels 1–4. Level 4 means DO NOT TRAVEL. We assign Level 4 based on local conditions and/or our limited ability to help Americans there," the department said.
It added: "These places are dangerous. Do not go for ANY reason."
Among the countries placed under the highest advisory are 11 African nations: Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
The full list of Level 4 countries includes Afghanistan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Myanmar (Burma), Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Uganda, Ukraine and Yemen.
The latest update comes months after the State Department retained Nigeria under a Level 3 advisory, urging Americans to reconsider travel to the country because of security concerns.
However, the department continues to classify several Nigerian states under the stricter Level 4 advisory.
The states listed under Level 4 in northern Nigeria are Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe and northern Adamawa.
In the South-South and South-East, the advisory applies to Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo and Rivers State, excluding Port Harcourt.
According to the State Department, Americans should reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest and inconsistent healthcare services, while travel to the listed Level 4 states is strongly discouraged.
The Nigerian government has, however, rejected the assessment, describing it as a routine precaution based on Washington's internal risk evaluation procedures rather than an accurate reflection of the country's overall security situation.
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