“Nigeria Sends Strong Message to Trump: We’re Not Your Deportee Dumping Ground
The Federal Government of Nigeria has made it crystal clear — President Donald Trump’s revived “third-country deportation” policy will find no home here.
Despite Rwanda, Eswatini, and South Sudan agreeing to take in deportees from the United States, Nigeria says it will not follow suit. Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa stressed that the decision is final and based on protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty, security, and economy. Eyes Of Lagos reports,
“Even if other African countries are accepting deportees from the US, Nigeria will not accept them. We are a sovereign country and take decisions only after fully analysing the implications to our national security,” Ebienfa stated.
The controversial US policy — reinstated after a Supreme Court ruling on June 23, 2025 — allows Washington to send deportees to countries other than their own if their home nations refuse to take them back. In some cases, the US even offers financial incentives to host nations for resettlement or incarceration.
Pressure from Washington
Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar revealed in July that the Trump administration had been pushing African nations to take in Venezuelan deportees, including some recently released from US prisons. He called the proposal “unacceptable,” warning that it shifts America’s problems onto nations already battling internal challenges.
“It will be difficult for countries like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners. We already have 230 million people and enough problems of our own,” Tuggar emphasized.
Why Nigeria Won’t Budge
Officials point to pressing national priorities such as the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project and the development of rare earth minerals, saying these require the nation’s full attention. Ebienfa described the idea of taking in deportees as “additional baggage” Nigeria cannot afford.
Former diplomats back this stance. Retired Ambassador Ogbole Amedu-Ode dismissed the US plan as “without merit” and praised Abuja for standing firm. Another ex-envoy, Rasheed Akinkuolie, warned that admitting individuals of unknown identity poses security threats — especially given past incidents where illegal entrants committed crimes in Nigeria.
Visa Sanction Threats
The US has hinted at possible visa restrictions for nations refusing to cooperate under Section 243(d) of its Immigration and Nationality Act. Nigeria has already felt the sting of tighter visa rules, with most visitors now limited to single-entry, three-month permits.
Bottom Line
While countries like Rwanda have signed deals — even offering housing, healthcare, and job training for up to 250 migrants — Nigeria is taking a different path. The message to Washington is loud and clear: Nigeria will accept its own citizens, but not foreign deportees from other nations.