The United States has listed 16 African countries in its highest-level travel advisory as of September 2025, urging its citizens to avoid or reconsider travel due to escalating security threats, political instability, and health risks.
According to the U.S. Department of State, countries such as Sudan, Mali, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, CAR, remain under Level 4 – Do Not Travel warnings, largely due to ongoing civil conflict and extremist activity. All of these countries have faced strict advisories since 2023. New additions in 2025 — including Nigeria, Uganda, Mauritania, Burundi, and Guinea-Bissau — have joined the Level 3 – Reconsider Travel category, reflecting deteriorating conditions across the continent. The U.S. travel advisory system ranges from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4, the most severe with the “Do Not Travel” warning, which currently include Ethiopia, Mali, and the civil war-ravaged Sudan.
Advisory levels are based on intelligence from U.S. embassies, the FBI, the CIA, and health data from the CDC, along with assessments of crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and local government capacity. The warnings, while aimed at protecting American travelers, also serve as diplomatic signals about Washington’s perception of regional stability. Many of the flagged countries face overlapping crises — ranging from weak governance and insurgencies to fragile healthcare systems.
While African destinations like Nigeria remain economically and culturally significant, the advisory underscores that travelers may face life-threatening risks in certain regions unless conditions improve. The State Department advises those considering travel to review alerts regularly and stay informed through official channels.