US Warns Citizens Against Visiting Border Areas in Two West African Countries

The US updated its travel advisories for Benin and Togo in 2026, flagging specific northern border areas as extremely dangerous for American citizensBoth advisories cite terrorism, kidnapping, and violent crime as primary threats in zones bordering Burkina Faso, Niger, and NigeriaUS government employees in both countries face overnight travel bans and require special authorisation to enter several restricted northern zonesPAY ATTENTION: Mark YEN.com.gh as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!

The United States government has updated its travel advisories for two West African nations, Benin and Togo, warning American citizens against visiting specific northern border regions due to threats including terrorism, kidnapping, and violent crime.

The revised advisories, issued in 2026, do not place either country under a blanket travel warning. Instead, they identify defined geographic areas where security conditions are considered severe enough to restrict civilian movement and limit the activities of US government personnel.

US travel advisories for Benin and Togo warn of terrorism, kidnapping and violent crime in northern border zones, with strict limits on official travel rules. Image credit: Eric Lee/Getty Images Source: Getty ImagesBenin's northern zones under strictest warningFor Benin, the US has applied its most serious guidance to areas bordering Burkina Faso, Niger, and the Nigerian states of Kebbi, Niger, and Kwara. American citizens are advised not to travel to these areas under any circumstances, with crime, terrorism, and kidnapping listed as the principal threats.

US cautions citizens against travel to 4 countries in West Africa

US government employees based in Benin must obtain Ambassador approval before entering Alibori Department, Atacora Department, parts of Borgou Department lying north, east, and west of Parakou, and Donga Department north of Djougou. Where authorised travel into Borgou and Donga is permitted, it is limited to daytime visits only, with overnight stays prohibited. The US government has also acknowledged that emergency consular assistance cannot be guaranteed for any American citizen who enters these restricted zones.

Togo's northern areas are subject to comparable limitations. US government staff must secure special authorisation before travelling to regions north of Dapaong, along Highways N24 and N28, and within Kpendjal and Kpendjal-Ouest districts. Overnight travel north of Mango is entirely prohibited for US government employees.

The advisory for Togo also notes the government's limited capacity to provide consular assistance to American citizens outside the capital, Lomé, given current safety conditions in outlying areas.

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The advisories reflect a broader security pattern across Sahel-adjacent border zones in West Africa, where armed groups have expanded their operational reach in recent years, placing growing pressure on countries like Benin and Togo that were previously regarded as comparatively stable relative to their immediate neighbours.

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the US had announced that nationals from four countries currently hold Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the country.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said that TPS is a humanitarian designation the US government extends to citizens of nations facing active conflict.

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Philip Boateng Kessie (Head of Human Interest Desk) Philip Boateng Kessie is the Head of the Diaspora Affairs Desk at YEN.com.gh, where he has worked since 2022. He has over eight years of journalism experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Cape Coast. Philip previously served as Head of the Human Interest Desk at YEN.com.gh and has also worked as a reporter for Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) and a content writer for Scooper News. He also holds certificates in Advanced Digital Reporting and Fighting Misinformation. Email: philip.kessie@yen.com.gh