Nigeria has firmly rejected U.S. pressure to accept Venezuelan deportees, including those released from U.S. prisons, as part of a broader push by the Trump administration to have African nations take in third-country migrants.
Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar emphasized Nigeria’s stance, citing the country’s population of over 230 million and its existing challenges as reasons for refusal.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on July 10, 2025, Tuggar stated, “It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own.”
He further argued that accepting even 300 deportees could set a precedent for further demands, which Nigeria considers unfair.
The U.S. has reportedly pressured other African nations, including Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon, to accept these deportees, with discussions occurring during a White House meeting with their leaders on July 9, 2025.
An internal U.S. State Department document, cited by The Wall Street Journal, urged these countries to agree to the “dignified, safe, and timely transfer” of third-country nationals.
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However, Liberia’s Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti denied any such discussions, and Guinea-Bissau’s president claimed Trump did not explicitly ask them to accept deportees.
Tuggar also suggested that recent U.S. actions, such as a 10% tariff on Nigerian goods and visa restrictions limiting Nigerians to single-entry, three-month visas, might be retaliatory measures linked to Nigeria’s refusal.