The United States Home Office has announced that its Embassy in Abuja and Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Monday, May 26, to mark the country’s Memorial Day.
The Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday held annually on the last Monday in May.
The U.S. Mission in Nigeria announced the closure via its official X (formerly Twitter) account, stating that the day is set aside to honour American military personnel who died while serving their country.
The Day is a solemn occasion in the United States, marked by ceremonies, flag displays, and tributes to fallen servicemen and women.
When Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, its purpose was to honor Union soldiers who had died in the Civil War. After World War I, however, the observance was broadened to include fallen soldiers from all major American wars.
The closure of the embassies affects all routine consular services at both the embassy and the consulate for the day.
Operations are expected to resume on Tuesday, May 27. The U.S. Mission advised individuals with urgent consular needs to consult its website for emergency contact information.
