Nigeria, Ghana, and Somalia top the list of African nations with the highest number of citizens incarcerated in U.S. federal prisons, according to a newly obtained document exclusive to Peoples Gazette. As of May 22, 914 African nationals from 46 countries are serving jail terms in American federal facilities for crimes including drug trafficking, burglary, theft, romance fraud, and wire fraud. Nigeria leads with 283 inmates, representing 30.8% of the total, followed by Ghana with 71 (7.7%) and Somalia with 68 (7.3%). The data highlights a growing concern over African nationals facing legal consequences abroad, particularly in the United States.
Nigeria’s high number of inmates includes well-known figures such as Ramon ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas, Invictus Obi, Oba Joseph Oloyede, Paulinus Okoronkwo, and Professor Nkechy Ezeh. These cases have drawn international attention, especially those linked to cybercrime and financial fraud. Ghana, another West African nation, ranks second with 71 citizens in U.S. prisons, while Somalia, an East African country, holds third place with 68. Sudan follows with 55 inmates, and Kenya has 49, making it the fifth-highest among African nations.
Other countries with notable numbers include Egypt and Liberia, each with 43 and 42 inmates respectively. Ethiopia, Cameroon, and South Africa have 40, 28, and 24 citizens in U.S. federal prisons. Smaller numbers are recorded from countries like Morocco (20), Guinea (19), Ivory Coast (16), Niger (15), Sierra Leone (14), Cape Verde (13), and the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola (10 each). The list also includes nations with fewer than 10 inmates, such as Senegal (9), Tanzania and Libya (7 each), Gambia and Eritrea (6 each), and several others with five or fewer.
The Nigerian government did not respond to requests for comment from Peoples Gazette. However, Kemiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for Nigeria’s foreign ministry, noted that Nigeria’s large population naturally leads to higher numbers of citizens involved in crimes abroad. He emphasized that this does not reflect negatively on the country as a whole, pointing out that many Nigerians are successful in the U.S. both in public and private sectors.
Christopher Isike, a professor of African Politics and International Relations at the University of Pretoria, warned that rising cases of Nigerians jailed abroad could damage Nigeria’s international image and reinforce negative stereotypes about Africa. Simon Mulongo, a Ugandan financial adviser and international relations expert, argued that the data should be viewed with caution. He noted that 914 inmates represent only 0.036% of the 2.5 million sub-Saharan African immigrants in the U.S., calling it a reputational risk rather than evidence of widespread criminality.
Mulongo stressed that the issue reflects broader structural challenges, including unemployment, weak governance, and limited economic opportunities in many African countries. He said cybercrime often emerges in environments where legitimate pathways to success are blocked. The real challenge, he added, is not inherent criminality but the disproportionate impact a small number of offenders can have on the continent’s global reputation and diplomatic relations.
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