Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has rejected reported attempts by the United States to deport Venezuelan nationals — including prisoners — to Nigeria, stressing that the country is already battling major population and developmental pressures.
“It would be difficult for countries like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria,” Tuggar said during a televised interview on Thursday. “We have enough problems of our own; we cannot accept Venezuelan deportees to Nigeria. We already have 230 million people.”
His comments follow reports that the US, under President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown, is seeking to offload Venezuelan deportees, including some with criminal records, to third-party nations in Africa.
Nonetheless, he reiterated Nigeria’s red line that Nigeria will not be a dumping ground for Venezuelan prisoners deported from the US amid Trump’s crackdown on undocumented migrants.
Tuggar’s remarks also come amid rising tensions between Abuja and Washington following new visa restrictions on Nigerians, which is reportedly linked in part to Nigeria’s refusal to accept asylum seekers from the US. Although earlier claims that Nigeria had stopped issuing five-year visas to Americans were later proven false, US officials have cited an alleged lack of reciprocity.
“What Nigeria has done that differs is simple,” Tuggar explained. “We used to have visa on arrival that wasn’t running efficiently. We introduced these online electronic visas… so it makes it easier.”
He emphasised that Nigeria’s e-visa platform and visa-on-arrival options remain globally recognised and operational, noting that various visa categories are issued based on applicant profiles and travel history.
“Our visa is not saying that every American is only being given a 90-day visa… We give Americans and loads of Americans these long-term visas,” he added.
Tuggar concluded by calling on Washington to approach immigration issues with mutual respect and in the spirit of international cooperation.
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