By Kolawole Ojebisi
The United States Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will temporarily close on Monday, 17 February 2025, in observance of Presidents’ Day.
This is confirmed in a statement posted on X on Sunday by the diplomatic mission
The statement assured the public that normal operations would resume the following day.
“The U.S. Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Monday, February 17, 2025, in observance of Presidents’ Day. We will resume normal operations on Tuesday, 18 February 2025,” the statement read. While essential services will remain accessible through emergency contact channels, routine consular services will resume after the holiday.
Nigerians seeking U.S. visas or consular assistance are advised to plan their visits accordingly.
The U.S. observes Presidents’ Day annually on the third Monday of February to honour past and present leaders of the nation.
It originally honoured the birthday of George Washington, the first U.S. president, but over time, it has evolved to celebrate all U.S. presidents.
The holiday was established in 1879 as Washington’s Birthday and was later moved to its current date in 1971 under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which aimed to provide more three-day weekends for workers.
Although Presidents’ Day is the commonly used name, the official federal holiday is still Washington’s Birthday according to U.S. law.
