Ghana has begun accepting West African nationals deported from the United States.
President John Dramani Mahama confirmed the development on Wednesday, September 10, saying his government had already received the first group of returnees.
According to Reuters, a batch of 14 deportees including Nigerians, a Gambian, and others had arrived in Accra.
Ghanaian officials are reportedly assiU.S. President Donald Trump.sting with their safe return to their home countries.
“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 explained.
The president emphasized that the decision was practical, since West Africans “don’t need a visa anyway” to enter Ghana.
The move comes amid Washington’s intensified deportation drive under
His administration had expanded removals to “third countries” as part of its strict immigration policies.
Trump had previously overseen deportations to nations such as Eswatini, South Sudan, and Rwanda, despite ongoing criticism from rights groups who warned about safety and human rights concerns.
For Ghana, however, this cooperation reflects both diplomacy and regional solidarity.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, made the country’s stance clear in July.
He stated that the Federal Government would not accept deportees from outside Nigeria, citing national security and economic challenges as key reasons.
This rejection highlights the sharp contrast in policy between Ghana and Nigeria, despite both being influential players in West Africa.
The development has sparked debate over how African nations should engage with U.S. deportation policies.
