The Federal Government of Nigeria has once again affirmed its refusal to accept foreign nationals deported from the United States under Washington’s controversial “third-country deportation” policy. This stance sets Nigeria apart from other African nations like Rwanda, Eswatini, and South Sudan, which have recently agreed to take in deportees.
Speaking to the press, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, reiterated that Nigeria’s position is based on national security, economic concerns, and a commitment to its sovereignty.
“Even if other African countries are accepting deportees from the US, Nigeria will not accept them. We are a sovereign country and we take decisions only after fully analyzing the implications to our national security,” Ebienfa stated.
The refusal comes amid what Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar described in July as “considerable pressure” from the Donald Trump administration on African countries to accept individuals convicted of crimes, including Venezuelans. Tuggar labeled the proposal as “unacceptable,” emphasizing that such a move would unfairly burden a country already addressing its own internal challenges.
“It will be difficult for countries like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own… We already have 230 million people,” he said.
The US has a history of leveraging immigration law to pressure non-cooperative countries. Under Section 243(d) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act, Washington can suspend visa issuance to nations that refuse to cooperate with deportation efforts. This was evident in April, when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly threatened to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders after the country initially declined to accept its repatriated citizens.
The controversial deportation policy, which was revived following a US Supreme Court ruling, allows the US to send deportees to countries other than their own if their home nations are unwilling to take them back.
Other African Nations Accepting Deportees
Since the policy’s revival, a number of African countries have entered into agreements with the US. South Sudan has received deportees from countries such as Vietnam, Jamaica, and Yemen. Eswatini has taken in individuals from nations including Cuba and Laos. Rwanda also finalized a deal to accept up to 250 migrants, with a case-by-case approval process.
According to Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo, approved migrants would receive “workforce training, health care, and accommodation support” to assist with their integration.
However, Ebienfa maintained that Nigeria’s priorities are different. He highlighted that the country is already managing significant economic, social, and security pressures and will not be swayed by the decisions of other nations.
“We will not allow ourselves to be pressured into accepting deportees, regardless of what other nations are doing,” he said, further referencing Nigeria’s ongoing strategic projects, such as the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline and its valuable rare earth mineral deposits, as proof of the country’s economic and geopolitical standing.
