The United States has deported 902 Nigerians since 2019, with 3,690 more facing removal orders, according to ICE’s 2024 Annual Report. Deportations peaked during Trump’s early presidency and may surge again under revived enforcement policies.
Nigeria remains Africa’s top deportation recipient, outpacing Senegal (716) and Ghana (582). Mauritania saw removals jump from 58 in 2023 to 353 in 2024 due to streamlined Electronic Nationality Verification (ENV), which expedites consular checks.
ICE’s global removals reached 271,484 in 2024, the highest since COVID-19. Mexico led with 434,827 deportations, followed by Guatemala (185,713) and Honduras (142,349).
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, recently urged humane treatment for deportees: “Will they be given time to handle their assets, or bundled into planes?”
