The Federal Government has firmly stated that Nigeria will not succumb to pressure from the United States to accept deported Venezuelan nationals, including ex-convicts, amid Washington’s renewed crackdown on undocumented migrants.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar made the declaration during a television interview on Thursday, emphasizing that Nigeria will not become a “dumping ground” for foreign deportees.
“We have enough problems of our own; we cannot accept Venezuelan deportees to Nigeria. We already have 230 million people,” Tuggar said, rejecting reports that African countries, including Nigeria, are being pressured to take in Venezuelans deported from the U.S., some directly from prison.
The minister’s remarks come in the wake of President Bola Tinubu’s participation in the BRICS 2025 Summit, held from July 6 to 7 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The summit brought together leaders of the 11-member BRICS+ economic bloc, including Nigeria, which joined the group as a partner nation earlier this year.
On the closing day of the summit, U.S. President Donald Trump announced new trade measures targeting what he described as “anti-American” BRICS nations. The sanctions include a proposed 10% tariff hike on imports from countries like China, India, and Nigeria.
Responding to concerns that Nigeria’s participation in BRICS may have provoked the U.S. action, Tuggar said, “The issue of tariffs may not necessarily have to do with us participating in the BRICS meeting.”
He also disclosed that the Tinubu administration has initiated discussions with U.S. officials over recent visa restrictions imposed on Nigerian citizens, while also expressing regret over similar travel limitations enacted by the United Arab Emirates.
BRICS+—an expansion of the original Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa bloc—now includes Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the UAE. The group represents nearly half of the world’s population and accounts for around 40 percent of global economic output.
