Ghana has agreed to receive US-deported West Africans, including Nigerians, a move Nigeria itself has rejected.
Ghana has begun accepting West African nationals deported from the United States, including Nigerians, Gambians and others, President John Dramani Mahama confirmed on Wednesday.
According to Reuters, Mahama disclosed that a first batch of 14 deportees had already arrived in Accra, with Ghanaian authorities facilitating their onward return to their respective home countries.
“We were approached by the US to accept third-party nationals who were being removed from the US, and we agreed with them that West African nationals were acceptable because all our fellow West Africans don’t need a visa to come to our country,” Mahama said. He added that the policy was consistent with ECOWAS free-movement protocols.
The arrangement comes as Washington intensifies deportations under President Donald Trump, who has expanded removals to “third countries.” Similar deportations have been executed to Rwanda, South Sudan and Eswatini despite human rights concerns.
Nigeria, however, has rejected the policy. In July, Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar stated Abuja would not accept non-Nigerian deportees, citing national security and economic concerns.