Nigeria Declines Acceptance of U.S. Deportees, Says Minister Tuggar

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has declared that the country will no longer accept deportees from the United States, stressing that the matter is settled and no longer part of discussions in Nigeria-U.S. relations.

Speaking at the Reuters NEXT Gulf Summit in Abu Dhabi, Tuggar stated, “That ship has sailed. We’ve made our point, and I believe it’s no longer on the table. We don’t see the need to receive nationals from other countries under duress.”

He explained that Nigeria’s priority is to develop and train its large population, which is projected to reach 400 million in 25 years, rather than accommodate deportees from foreign nations.

“Our focus is on equipping our people with skills, tackling poverty, and ensuring a balanced dependency ratio for the future,” he added.

While emphasizing Nigeria’s cordial relations with the United States, Tuggar said the decision was about mutual understanding and national interest.

He further urged developed nations to approach trade with Africa as a partnership, not as an extraction game. Comparing it to the video game Minecraft, Tuggar said, “Trade shouldn’t be about mining Africa’s oil, gas, and minerals like blocks in a game. It must be based on respect, shared interests, and Africa’s right to develop.”

He also noted that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and a major crude exporter, remains less affected by U.S. tariffs than other countries and continues to diversify its global trade partnerships.