Nigeria has pushed back against mounting pressure from the United States to accept deported Venezuelan nationals, including former prison inmates. Speaking during an interview from the BRICS summit in Brazil, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said the country is not in a position to take in migrants from Venezuela due to its own internal challenges.
“You have to bear in mind that the U.S. is putting significant pressure on African nations to accept Venezuelans being deported from the U.S., including some directly from prison,” Tuggar stated. “It would be difficult for a country like Nigeria, with its population of over 230 million to absorb Venezuelan deportees. We have enough of our own problems.”
The remarks came in the wake of reports that President Donald Trump’s administration had approached several African leaders with a proposal to take in deported migrants who cannot be returned directly to their home countries. According to officials familiar with the discussions, the plan was presented during a meeting at the White House with the presidents of Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon.
An internal State Department document reportedly sent ahead of the meeting urged African governments to agree to the “dignified, safe, and timely transfer from the United States” of third-country nationals. However, the White House has yet to issue an official statement regarding the proposal or Nigeria’s response.
Since returning to office in January, President Trump has renewed efforts to expedite deportations, particularly through third-country resettlement when direct repatriation is not feasible.
