Ghana has started accepting West African nationals deported from the United States, including Nigerians, as part of a new agreement with the US government. President John Mahama confirmed that a first group of 14 deportees has already arrived in Accra, with Ghanaian authorities assisting their return to their home countries.
The deportees include Nigerians and one Gambian national. President Mahama explained that Ghana agreed to accept West African nationals because they do not require visas to enter Ghana under regional free movement protocols. “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 stated.
This development comes amid increased US pressure on African nations to accept deportees as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. The US has recently deported migrants to several African countries including Rwanda, Eswatini, and South Sudan.
Notably, Nigeria has resisted similar pressure from Washington. Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar stated in July that Nigeria would not accept deportees from outside the country, citing national security and economic concerns. He specifically mentioned Venezuela prisoners being among those the US wanted African nations to accept.
The agreement between Ghana and the US comes amid tightening relations between the two countries, including increased US tariffs on Ghanaian goods and visa restrictions for Ghanaian nationals. President Mahama described the relationship as “tightening” but maintained that relations remain positive.
Ghana is the first West African country to publicly announce such an agreement with the United States regarding deportations. The arrangement leverages the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol that allows visa-free movement among member states for up to 90 days.
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