The Nigerian government has firmly rejected mounting pressure from the United States to accept deported Venezuelan nationals, including ex-prisoners, saying the country will not serve as a dumping ground for America’s immigration issues.
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar made the statement during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics on Thursday. Tuggar emphasized that Nigeria is already grappling with numerous internal challenges and cannot accommodate Venezuelan deportees, especially those coming directly from U.S. prisons.
“Nigeria has its own problems. We have over 230 million people already. It would be difficult for a country like ours to accept deportees from Venezuela. We cannot be a dumping ground,” he said.
Tuggar’s comments follow renewed immigration enforcement under the Donald Trump administration, which has proposed sending undocumented Venezuelans—some of whom are incarcerated—to other countries, including Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu had recently joined other world leaders for the BRICS Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 6 to 7, 2025. At the close of the summit, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 10% tariff increase targeting BRICS nations, including Nigeria, China, and India—labeling them “anti-American.”
When asked if Nigeria’s participation in BRICS influenced the tariff hike, Tuggar downplayed any direct link. “The issue of tariffs may not necessarily have to do with us participating in the BRICS meeting,” he noted.
He also revealed that the Tinubu administration has opened dialogue with U.S. authorities over new visa restrictions placed on Nigerian nationals. In contrast, he described the recent visa limitations imposed by the United Arab Emirates as “regrettable.”
Nigeria formally accepted an invitation to join the expanded BRICS+ bloc in January 2025. Originally formed in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the alliance has since grown to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, the UAE, and most recently, Nigeria.
BRICS+ now represents around 37% of global GDP and includes nations that account for nearly half the world’s population and 40% of total global economic output.
