When news broke last week that the United States President Donald Trump signed a new executive order on the H-1B visa, it caught many Nigerians in tech off guard.
The law says American companies that want to hire skilled foreign workers now have to pay $100,000 per visa, roughly ₦150 million in today’s money.
For years, the H-1B visa has been a golden ticket into the U.S. job market, including Nigerians who made it big in Silicon Valley. Now the new policies reveal America wants fewer foreign workers, more jobs for its citizens, and putting a huge price tag on talent.
Economic Projections: The U.S. Risks Losing Out
The policy may sound good politically, but some economists say it could negatively impact the U.S. in the long run. Its strength has always been attracting the best minds from around the world.
If that becomes too expensive, countries like Canada, Germany, and even China will happily take in those same workers.
For Nigerians, it makes things harder. The cost of relocation is already high. Adding a ₦150 million fee on top makes the U.S. almost impossible for most professionals.
Nigerians Are Looking Elsewhere
Many Nigerians are already rethinking their options. Some are eyeing Canada, some Europe. Others are asking if relocation is even worth it anymore.
“I’ll move to Canada or Europe… anywhere that actually wants us,” a Nigerian computer science graduate posted on X.
But there’s another path, and that’s remote work.
Remote Jobs Are Becoming the Real Prize
Remote work isn’t new. It became a lifeline during COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, when travel was blocked but tech companies still needed workers. Nigerians grabbed that chance, and since then, the remote wave hasn’t slowed.
This report shows that Nigerian H-1B applications dipped badly during the pandemic, then quadrupled after 2022 as borders reopened.
But with this $100,000 fee, that growth is likely to fall again. U.S. companies won’t stop needing talent, though. They’ll just hire it remotely, because it’s cheaper than moving workers to the U.S.
For Nigerians, that could mean more contracts from abroad, more people earning in dollars while still living in Lagos, Abuja, or Ibadan.
The Tax Angle
Of course, there’s another side. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has already revealed taxing remote workers more effectively. If remote jobs keep increasing, the tax net will get higher. But even with taxes, remote work still brings better pay and foreign exchange into Nigeria compared to most local jobs.
Beyond Cocoa: What if Nigeria Exported Talent?
This policy leads to a bigger point; maybe the future isn’t about going after visas. Maybe it’s about exporting skills.
Nigeria already exports cocoa and crude oil. But what if the next big export is talent? With the U.S. closing doors, Nigeria could position itself as Africa’s remote talent hub, making it easier for its professionals to plug into global markets without leaving home.
America may think it is protecting its jobs. But in the end, it could be creating an even stronger remote economy for countries like Nigeria.
Africa’s next big export might just be talent.
