Nigeria has rejected pressure from the Trump administration to accept deportees from Venezuela and other third countries, with Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar saying the country already faces its own problems.
The US government had reportedly urged several African nations, including Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritania, to accept deportees whose home countries refuse to take them back. However, Nigeria has refused to comply, citing concerns over its own population of over 230 million people.
Tuggar’s comments come as the US government has not officially confirmed it is pressuring African nations to accept third-country nationals. The US Supreme Court recently cleared the way for the deportation of eight men from various countries to South Sudan.
Nigeria and the US have been engaged in talks over critical minerals, oil, and gas deals, but the country will not negotiate away its sovereignty. “We will continue to stand for our national interest,” Tuggar said.
The move marks one of the most high-profile rejections yet of the Trump administration’s efforts to deport migrants, under threat of tariffs and visa restrictions for countries that refuse.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/07/11/nx-s1-5464784/nigeria-rejects-u-s-pressure-to-accept-venezuelan-deportees