Dakar: President Donald Trump's addition of four African countries to his administration's travel ban could fuel discrimination and stifle business, leaders warned on Saturday as people across the continent reeled at the news.

Most citizens of Nigeria - Africa's most populous nation and biggest economy - and Eritrea would be blocked from coming to live and work in the United States under the measure, which takes effect February 22, while Tanzania and Sudan would be barred from the competitive US visa lottery.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari Credit:AP

The White House called the new restrictions "the height of common sense" in a statement, adding that foreign countries must "satisfy basic security conditions" before their citizens could move to the United States.

Most citizens from Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan would also be banned under the new measure.