14,000 Nigerians to be deported from Germany lack identification cards – German Chancellor says

The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has disclosed that no fewer than 14,000 Nigerians living in the country risk deportation and he gave reasons for this.

Scholz said the mass deportation is due to the spike in the number of Nigerians seeking asylum, and a great number of them are without identification cards.

The German Chancellor said the country has seen a significant number of initial asylum applications from Nigerians in 2023, with a comparatively low recognition rate

Approximately 12,500 Nigerians are in a condition of tolerance in Germany as a result of the Nigerian government’s reluctance to admit people without the necessary identity documents.

Nigeria had long been one of the top 10 countries of origin for German asylum applicants, but recently, the proportion has begun to decline.

But the current spike in Nigerians filing initial asylum claims in 2023 has sparked worries. Nearly 14,000 Nigerians might be deported, and the great majority of them do not have the necessary identification documents.

In talks with Nigerian officials during his visit to Abuja on Tuesday, Nov. 7, Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed the importance of working together to resolve the deportation situation.

He said: “We are prepared to collaborate in order to enhance migration.”

He added that Germany would be happy to send back any Nigerian nationals who have behaved well.

Even though Tinubu made a few evasive remarks, he alluded to the potential for cooperation in order to resolve the matter.

He underlined that the Nigerian government is ready to allow people to return, especially those who are recognised as fellow citizens and have behaved well.

Germany-issued replacement documents are not currently accepted by Nigerian authorities. Scholz and Tinubu also talked about this subject.

Tinubu said during the joint press conference: “We’re prepared to collaborate in order to enhance migration.”

He added that if someone is a compatriot and has “behaved well,” they are willing to accept them back. 

The fact that a large number of Nigerians in Germany are about to be deported emphasises the difficulties that both countries in the migration process face.

Three main aspects of this ongoing issue are the acknowledgement of asylum claims, the unavailability of identity documents, and the necessity of cooperation.

It remains to be seen how this scenario develops and what terms will be agreed upon to assist the return of these persons to Nigeria, as both Germany and Nigeria attempt to find common ground on this issue.