Ghana has confirmed it will accept West African nationals deported from the United States, including Nigerians, following a new arrangement under Washington’s intensified immigration crackdown.
President John Dramani Mahama disclosed the decision on Wednesday, saying a first batch of 14 deportees had already landed in Accra.
The group included Nigerians, a Gambian, and several other West Africans. Ghanaian authorities are now facilitating their return to their home countries.
Mahama explained that the US approached Ghana to host third-party nationals deported under its new policy.
According to him, Accra agreed because citizens of West African states do not require visas to enter Ghana.
“We agreed with the US that all West African nationals are acceptable. Our fellow West Africans don’t need a visa anyway,” the president said.
The move comes amid President Donald Trump’s aggressive push to deport migrants not just to their home countries but to third nations willing to accept them.
Rights groups have repeatedly criticized the approach, warning it raises safety and humanitarian concerns.
Trump’s administration has already overseen controversial deportations to Eswatini, South Sudan, and Rwanda despite widespread objections.
Now, Washington is targeting West Africa for similar arrangements.
Not all nations are complying.
Nigeria has firmly rejected proposals to accept deportees from outside its borders.
In July, Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar announced that Abuja would not take in deported migrants who are not Nigerian citizens, citing economic strain and national security risks.
Trump recently hosted five West African leaders at the White House from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal.
Reuters reported that one of the key agenda items was convincing them to receive deportees from other countries.
By contrast, Ghana has positioned itself as a regional gateway for such transfers, a move that could spark criticism at home and across West Africa.
Analysts warn it may burden the country’s resources and raise tensions with neighbors like Nigeria that oppose the policy.
The deportation deal highlights the growing divide in Africa’s response to Trump’s immigration agenda.
While some governments see cooperation as a diplomatic concession, others view it as a dangerous precedent that undermines sovereignty.
For now, Ghana continues to process arrivals and arrange their return journeys. But the debate over whether West Africa should accept deportees from the US is only beginning and could reshape the region’s migration policies in the months ahead.