Ghana has begun accepting West African nationals deported from the United States, including Nigerians, President John Dramani Mahama announced on Wednesday.
According to Reuters, the first batch of 14 deportees — made up of Nigerians, a Gambian, and others — has already arrived in Accra, with Ghanaian authorities facilitating their return to their home countries.
“We were approached by the U.S. to accept third-party nationals who were being removed, and we agreed because all our fellow West Africans don’t need a visa to enter Ghana,” Mahama explained.
The move comes as Washington intensifies deportations under President Donald Trump, who has championed sending migrants to “third countries” as part of his hardline immigration agenda. Similar deportations have previously been directed to Eswatini, South Sudan, and Rwanda, despite concerns raised by human rights groups.
Nigeria, however, has rejected such arrangements. Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar stated in July that the government would not accept deportees from outside Nigeria, citing national security and economic risks.
On July 9, Trump hosted five West African leaders — from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal — at the White House, with one of the key goals reportedly being to secure their cooperation in accepting deportees.
