Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar has raised concerns over pressure from the United States urging African nations to accept deportees from Venezuela, including individuals recently released from American prisons. He made it clear that Nigeria, already grappling with significant internal challenges, is not in a position to accommodate such transfers.
Speaking during an interview with Channels Television on Thursday, July 10, 2025, from Brazil, where he was attending a BRICS summit, Tuggar emphasized that Nigeria would not comply with such demands.
“You have to also bear in mind that the U.S. is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the U.S., some straight out of prison,” he stated.
“It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own,” he added, referencing the country’s population of over 230 million people.
Tuggar’s comments follow reports that President Donald Trump’s administration asked several African leaders during a recent White House meeting to accept migrants deported from the U.S., especially in cases where deportation to their home countries is delayed or unfeasible.
This week, Trump hosted the presidents of Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon, where, according to U.S. and Liberian officials, the proposal to redirect deportees—including third-country nationals—to African states was presented.
In support of the initiative, The Wall Street Journal revealed that an internal State Department document had been circulated to the African governments ahead of the meeting. The document called on them to agree to the “dignified, safe, and timely transfer from the United States” of individuals from third countries.
Since returning to office in January, President Trump has accelerated efforts to enforce stricter immigration policies, including the controversial approach of relocating deportees to third-party countries when direct repatriation is stalled.
As of the time of publication, the White House has not issued an official response to the Nigerian minister’s remarks or the broader report.
