Sierra Leone has confirmed an agreement with the United States to receive Nigerians and other West African nationals who are being deported under a new arrangement linked to U.S. immigration enforcement policies.
According to Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, Timothy Kabba, the deal allows the country to accept up to 300 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) citizens annually, with a monthly cap of 25 deportees. The first group is expected to arrive on May 20 and will include nationals from Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, and Guinea.
The policy is part of a wider U.S. effort to accelerate the removal of migrants to third countries, with similar agreements already made with several African nations. However, the practice has drawn criticism from legal experts and human rights groups, who question the legality and treatment of deportees sent to countries where they are not citizens.
It remains unclear whether those relocated to Sierra Leone will be allowed to remain in the country or be returned to their home nations. Sierra Leone has stated that the arrangement is part of its broader diplomatic and immigration cooperation with the United States.
