Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has declared that Nigeria will no longer accept deportees from the United States, describing the matter as closed in bilateral relations between both countries.
Gatekeepers News reports that Tuggar made the remark during a fireside chat at the Reuters NEXT Gulf Summit in Abu Dhabi, emphasizing that Nigeria has moved past the issue.
“That ship has sailed. We made our point, and I believe it’s no longer on the discussion table. We don’t see the need to take nationals from other countries under duress,” he said.
The minister explained that the government’s focus is now on developing and training Nigeria’s own population, tackling poverty and unemployment, and preparing its workforce for future growth.
“We already have a population of over 200 million people, and we are moving towards 400 million in the next 25 years. Our goal is to train our workforce and ensure we have the right dependency ratio to sustain our future,” Tuggar said.
He clarified that Nigeria continues to enjoy healthy relations with the United States and that the decision not to accept deportees should be viewed as a matter of mutual understanding, not conflict.
Tuggar also urged wealthier nations to rethink their approach to trade with Africa, warning against treating the continent merely as a source of raw materials.
“Sometimes it’s like the game Minecraft: there’s oil, there’s gas, there’s critical minerals, rare earths. We put a bit of this, we invest in this. No, that’s not the way it goes,” he said.
“The engagement should be based on mutual respect, based on shared interests and on the fact that Africa needs to develop. If it doesn’t develop, we continue to deal with irregular migration and all these other challenges.”
The minister added that Nigeria—Africa’s most populous nation and a major crude oil exporter—remains focused on diversifying its trade relationships while addressing structural economic challenges such as energy deficits.
