The Federal Government of Nigeria has stated that it has not received any official communication regarding the alleged deportation of Nigerians from the United States to Ghana. Reports have emerged claiming that Ghana has accepted deported Nigerians and other West Africans under a new arrangement.
According to Reuters, Ghanaian President John Mahama revealed on Wednesday that a first batch of 14 deportees, including Nigerians and a Gambian, had already arrived in Accra. Mahama explained that Ghana facilitated their return, stating, “We were approached by the US to accept third-party nationals who were being removed from the US, and we agreed with them that West African nationals were acceptable because all our fellow West Africans don’t need a visa to come to our country.”
In response to inquiries about the situation, Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Punch, “We have yet to be informed officially.” The identities and number of Nigerians among the deportees remain unclear.
The US has previously approached several African nations with proposals to accept deported migrants, which has sparked criticism across the continent. Countries such as Rwanda, Eswatini, Ghana, and South Sudan have reportedly agreed to accept deportees under this arrangement. However, Nigeria has strongly opposed the move. In July, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar disclosed that the Trump administration was pressuring African nations to accept deportees, including prisoners.
Tuggar described the US’s actions as “unacceptable,” warning that such policies would unfairly burden countries like Nigeria, which are already facing internal challenges. Although Tuggar did not provide specific details on the diplomatic pressure, the Trump administration had earlier introduced new visa restrictions targeting Nigeria and other nations.
Retired Ambassador Rasheed Akinkuolie commented that Ghana’s decision to receive Nigerian deportees falls within its sovereign rights. He stated, “The government of Ghana has the right to accept deportees from the USA. It is an internal affair of the country.”
Another retired diplomat, Ambassador Ogbole Amedu-Ode, noted that Ghana’s acceptance of US deportees seems to be driven by logistics rather than any bilateral agreement with Nigeria. He explained that Ghana’s decision may be linked to the fact that citizens of ECOWAS countries do not require visas to enter Ghana.
Retired Nigerian Ambassador Mohammed Mabdul emphasized that while countries have the right to deport foreign nationals who pose security risks, such actions must be based on mutual agreement and respect. He warned that unilateral actions by countries like the US could create serious diplomatic challenges.
In June, the US Department of State revised its visa policy for Nigerian nationals, introducing more restrictive terms for most non-immigrant, non-diplomatic visas. The new policy states that most Nigerian citizens seeking to enter the US will be issued single-entry visas valid for just three months.
In August, the US Mission in Nigeria mandated that all visa applicants submit a five-year history of their social media usage, requiring applicants to list all social media usernames used in the last five years on the DS-160 visa application form.
The Trump administration has threatened countries that refuse to cooperate with US deportation efforts with visa sanctions under Section 243(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. In April, the US threatened to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders due to their initial refusal to accept the return of repatriated citizens.
The controversial “third-country deportation” policy was formally revived after a US Supreme Court ruling on June 23, 2025, allowing the US to send deportees to foreign nations other than their country of origin.
According to the Institute for Security Studies, the US paid El Salvador US$5 million in March to incarcerate over 250 Venezuelan deportees accused of gang affiliations in a maximum-security prison known for human rights abuses.
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