Sierra Leone has agreed to accept West African nationals, including Nigerians, who are set to be deported from the United States under a new immigration arrangement, officials have confirmed.

According to Sierra Leone’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Timothy Kabba, the country will receive up to 300 deportees annually as part of a “third-country” agreement with the United States. The first batch of returnees, about 25 people from countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Guinea, is expected to arrive on May 20.

The arrangement allows Sierra Leone to take in deported West African migrants under the ECOWAS free movement framework, which permits regional travel without visas. Authorities say the deportees will be processed in batches, with a monthly cap of about 25 individuals.

Officials did not disclose what Sierra Leone stands to gain from the agreement, but described it as part of broader diplomatic cooperation with the United States on migration management.

The policy has sparked debate among legal experts and rights advocates, who question the legality and human rights implications of sending deportees to countries where they are not citizens, with concerns over possible forced returns to their home nations afterward.

The development comes amid wider U.S. immigration enforcement measures targeting undocumented migrants, including Africans, as Washington expands agreements with African countries to receive deportees.

Critics argue the arrangement raises questions about due process and protection for affected individuals, while supporters say it helps manage migration flows more efficiently.