The Federal government has reaffirmed its decision not to accept deportees from the United States or any other country, insisting that Nigeria already has a large population and enough domestic challenges to manage.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, stated this during the Reuters Next Gulf Summit held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“We do not see the need to take in other nationals under duress from any country because we already have a population of more than 230 million people,” Tuggar said.
“We made our stand clear, and it is no longer on the discussion table.
“We continue to enjoy good relations with the United States. We are not short of people.”
The minister explained that the government’s priority is to harness the country’s growing population for development by focusing on education, job creation, and poverty reduction.
“Our focus, as we move closer to a projected 400 million population in the next 25 years, is to train our workforce and tackle issues of poverty and unemployment, so that we have a healthy dependency ratio that will sustain us into the future,” he said.
Tuggar also dismissed allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria, describing them as false narratives promoted by some Western media figures.
“One of our major challenges is the spread of false narratives about Nigeria — particularly claims of religious persecution.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Investors and observers need to come and see the reality for themselves,” he said.
The minister’s remarks come amid reports that the United States under former President Donald Trump sought agreements with African nations to accept deportees and asylum seekers from Latin America in exchange for economic incentives.
Tuggar emphasized that Nigeria would not participate in such arrangements, stressing that the country already faces its own socioeconomic challenges.
“Nigeria will not serve as a dumping ground for migrants with no ties to our country.
“We are focused on building opportunities for our own people and fostering partnerships that promote mutual development,” he said.
