Manny Ita –
Sierra Leone has agreed to accept Nigerian nationals deported from the United States as part of a broader migration arrangement affecting West African countries.
According to the country’s foreign minister, the deal allows Sierra Leone to receive up to 300 deportees annually, capped at 25 individuals per month, all drawn from ECOWAS member states. The first batch—comprising migrants from Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, and Guinea—is expected to arrive on May 20.
The agreement is part of Washington’s intensified efforts to speed up deportations by sending migrants to third-party countries rather than their nations of origin. Similar arrangements have previously involved countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, and others.
However, the policy has sparked criticism from legal experts and human rights groups, who question both the legality of such transfers and the welfare of deportees—especially those sent to countries where they are not citizens. In some past cases, deportees reportedly faced pressure to return to their home countries despite legal protections granted in the U.S.
Officials in Sierra Leone say the move is tied to ongoing bilateral cooperation with the U.S., though details on what the country stands to gain from the deal remain unclear. It is also uncertain whether those deported will be allowed to settle in Sierra Leone or eventually be returned to their countries of origin.
