137 Nigerians returned from Germany as deportation flights increase across Europe
Germany deported at least 137 Nigerian citizens in five documented chartered operations between February and June 2026, according to figures contained in reports monitored by the DERS Team and Refugees4refugees.org.
The figures showed that 27 Nigerians were deported in February, followed by 37 directly deported by Germany as part of a 50-person joint European Union operation in March.
A further 24 Nigerians were returned in April, while 23 were deported in May and another 26 arrived in Nigeria in June.
The figures point to increased reliance on chartered flights to repatriate Nigerians from Germany and other European countries, with several operations involving cooperation among multiple European states.
On February 18, 2026, 27 Nigerians arrived at the Lagos Cargo Airport following a deportation flight from Germany.
According to Refugees4refugees.org, the flight was operated by World2fly and departed Stuttgart before arriving in Lagos shortly before 2pm.
The report said the operation was primarily enforced by Germany, although one person described as severely ill and mentally unfit was transferred from Slovakia to join the 26 people deported from Germany.
Baden-Württemberg was identified as a major participant in the operation, with Stuttgart having hosted both the December 2025 and February 2026 deportation flights to Nigeria.
The report also raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding some of the deportees, alleging that some had serious health conditions, while others had lived and worked in Germany for several years.
It highlighted the case of a single mother and her three children who were deported from the Sindelfingen district of Stuttgart despite reportedly possessing documents relating to their residency status.
According to the report, the family later returned to Germany following intervention by a volunteer and confirmation from local foreign authorities that their deportation had been carried out in error.
The February operation took place as Nigeria was participating in preparations for the Voluntary National Review of the Global Compact for Migration ahead of the 2026 International Migration Review Forum in New York.
On March 10, another 50 people were deported to Nigeria in a joint EU operation hosted by Germany in collaboration with Spain, Austria and Belgium. Germany accounted for 37 of those deported, according to the figures.
The operation was described in the supplied data as the largest single deportation of Nigerians recorded during the three-year period covered by the report.
On April 9, another 24 Nigerians, including women and a minor, were deported aboard a chartered flight from Frankfurt organised by Frontex in collaboration with German authorities.
A further 23 Nigerians were returned in May, while 26 arrived in Lagos on June 17 following another chartered deportation flight.
Overall, the five documented operations resulted in the return of at least 137 Nigerians to the country between February and June 2026.
