Nigeria has firmly rejected pressure from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to accept deported Venezuelan nationals, including prison inmates, as part of ongoing immigration crackdowns in the United States.
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar made the stance clear during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday. He stated that Nigeria is already grappling with its own domestic challenges and would not serve as a dumping ground for migrants from other nations.
“It would be difficult for countries like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria,” Tuggar said. “We have enough problems of our own; we cannot accept Venezuelan deportees. We already have 230 million people.”
Tuggar’s comments come on the heels of the just-concluded BRICS Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 6 to 7, 2025. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu joined other world leaders at the summit of the 11-member economic bloc, now known as BRICS+, which includes major developing nations such as China, India, and Russia.
On the summit’s final day, President Trump announced an additional 10% trade tariff on what he described as “anti-American” BRICS nations — including Nigeria, China, and India. However, Minister Tuggar clarified that the tariff hike may not be directly linked to Nigeria’s participation in the summit.
“The issue of tariffs may not necessarily have to do with us participating in the BRICS meeting,” he said.
“You also have to bear in mind that the U.S. is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans being deported, some straight from prisons.”
In January 2025, Nigeria formally accepted an invitation to join BRICS+ as a partner country. Originally established in 2006, BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the UAE, with the bloc now accounting for roughly 37% of global GDP and nearly half of the world’s population.
Tuggar also addressed the recent visa restrictions imposed on Nigerian nationals by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), calling the development “regrettable.” He confirmed that the Tinubu administration has opened dialogue with both the U.S. and UAE to resolve emerging diplomatic issues.