Over the past several months, Nigerian media outlets have reported on government raids and closures of alleged child-buying operations posing as orphanages or homes for unwed mothers. Prospective adoptive parents are warned about possible scams involving children who may be illicitly offered for adoption.

We encourage prospective adoptive parents to review our website, http://adoptions.state.gov, for information about completing a legal adoption in Nigeria. Prospective adoptive parents should carefully research the orphanage or organization through which they plan to adopt.

Additionally, the State Department is aware of a growing number of adoption scams and has posted guidance for prospective adoptive parents who believe they have been affected.

The Department of State and USCIS will continue providing updated information on http://adoptions.state.gov as it becomes available. If you have any questions about this notice, please contact the Office of Children’s Issues at 1-888-407-4747 within the United States, or 202-501-4444 from outside the United States. Email inquiries may be directed to AdoptionUSCA@state.gov.