Beyond the headlines of protest and deportation lies a complex 60-year cycle of codependence, competition, and the ongoing struggle to define what it means to be a West African
It’s a scene that has played out with alarming regularity in the bustling markets of Accra and Kumasi. Padlocks appear on shops owned by Nigerian traders. Tense words are exchanged. Protesters, citing national laws, demand their foreign counterparts pack up and leave. While the most recent major flare-up occurred between 2019 and 2021, the embers of that conflict glow continuously, threatening to reignite at any moment.
This is the latest chapter in a long, cyclical history between two of West Africa’s most influential nations. It is a relationship that swings like a pendulum between brotherly embrace and bitter rivalry. For the #AfricanDiaspora, this story is more than a regional squabble. It’s a powerful reflection of our continent’s greatest challenges and brightest hopes for #EconomicIntegration and unity.
An Echo Chamber of History: When the Tables Turned
To understand today’s tensions, we must look back. The “Nigerians Must Go” sentiment is not new; it’s an echo. The relationship between Ghana and Nigeria is marked by two landmark expulsion events that have forged a legacy of mutual grievance.
| Year | Event & Location | Who Was Expelled | The “Why” Behind the “Go” |
| 1969 | Ghana’s Aliens Compliance Order | An estimated 200,000 Nigerians and other African migrants. | Post-Nkrumah, Prime Minister Kofi Busia’s government faced economic hardship. The order was part of an “indigenization” policy to reserve economic opportunities for Ghanaians. |
| 1983 | Nigeria’s Expulsion Order (“Ghana Must Go”) | Over 1 million Ghanaian migrants, along with others. | Nigeria’s oil-fueled economic boom of the 1970s had turned to bust. With a crashing economy and rising social tension, President Shehu Shagari’s government scapegoated undocumented migrants. |
The irony is profound. The very checkered bags used by Ghanaians to carry their belongings home in 1983 are still known today in Nigeria as “Ghana Must Go” bags. Decades later, the rhetoric has reversed, but the underlying drivers—economic anxiety and nationalistic sentiment—remain chillingly familiar. This historical tit-for-tat has created a fragile “brotherhood,” one where memories of past wounds are never far from the surface.
👑 A Crown of Controversy: The Flashpoint of Culture and Sovereignty
More recently, the friction has moved from the marketplace to the realm of culture and tradition. At the heart of this was the plan by His Royal Majesty Eze Dr. Chukwudi Jude Ihenetu to establish a 50-acre “Igbo Village” in Old Ningo. He is the officially recognized leader of the Igbo community in Ghana (crowned Eze Ndi Igbo Ghana in 2012),
For the #Igbo community, this was a move to preserve their rich cultural heritage. But for many Ghanaians, including the Ga Traditional Council, it was seen as a step too far, an attempt to establish a parallel authority on Ghanaian soil. The council swiftly secured a restraining order, citing Ghana’s Chieftaincy Act. The Act prohibits non-citizens from creating and installing chiefs.
This local dispute had international repercussions. In response to this and similar controversies across the diaspora, Nigeria’s Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers made a landmark decision: they abolished the diaspora title of Eze Ndigbo (King of Igbos). They replaced it with Onyendu Ndigbo (Leader of Igbos), a non-royal title meant to clarify the role as one of community leadership, not sovereign rule. This was a critical step in cultural diplomacy, aiming to ensure diaspora leaders respect the sovereignty of their host nations.
The Engine and the Envy: Decoding the Economic Reality
Beneath the politics lies the powerful engine of Nigerian enterprise, particularly the renowned Igbo business model. This #diaspora enterprise is a double-edged sword: it is a significant contributor to Ghana’s economy, but also a source of local resentment.
The Data Doesn’t Lie:
- Trade Volume: Bilateral trade between Nigeria and Ghana is substantial, reaching an estimated $2.6 billion in 2022, according to Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics, with Nigeria enjoying a significant surplus.
- Investment Footprint: Nigerian banks like UBA, GCB, and Zenith Bank are pillars of Ghana’s financial sector. Companies in manufacturing, telecommunications (Globacom), and media are major employers.
- Educational Hub: Nigerian students constitute the largest group of international students in Ghana’s universities, contributing millions of dollars in tuition fees and living expenses annually.
However, this success fuels friction. The primary point of contention has been the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act. It requires foreign-owned retail businesses to have a minimum investment of $1 million in cash or goods. Many small-scale Nigerian traders argue this is protectionist and violates the spirit of #ECOWAS protocols. Ghanaian traders, in turn, argue they are simply demanding compliance with their national laws.
Governments at the Table: Diplomacy in Action
Meanwhile, what have the governments done? Faced with the 2019-2021 trade crisis, both the then Akufo-Addo administration in Ghana and the then Buhari administration in Nigeria engaged in high-level diplomacy.
- Then-Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, personally flew to Accra for “legislative diplomacy.” He met with his Ghanaian counterparts to de-escalate the situation.
- President Nana Akufo-Addo publicly affirmed that Nigerians were welcome in Ghana and instructed authorities to avoid heavy-handed tactics. He emphasized the need for legal and respectful resolution.
- The Nigeria-Ghana Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation, though often dormant, serves as the official channel for dialogue. President Bola Tinubu’s administration has signalled a renewed focus on strengthening ECOWAS, suggesting a recognition that these bilateral issues have regional consequences.
President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana assured President Bola Tinubu of the safety of Nigerians and their property in Ghana. He met with Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in Ghana. Mahama said the Ghanaian government was committed to the safety and dignity of all legal residents within its borders.
“We share a historic bond with Nigeria. We have enjoyed excellent bilateral relations through the years. Our Government is committed to protecting the lives and properties of all who reside in our country. And we continue to urge all residents to be law-abiding.”
Mahama
However, the challenge remains translating high-level diplomatic warmth into on-the-ground harmony. The gap between Pan-African rhetoric and protectionist reality is where these conflicts fester.
ECOWAS: A Dream Deferred?
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was founded on the dream of a borderless region where goods and people could move freely. The ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement is the legal backbone of this vision.
Yet, the recurring Ghana-Nigeria tensions reveal the protocol’s fundamental weakness. It is often subservient to national laws and local sentiment. When economic pressures mount, the foreigner, even a fellow West African “brother,” becomes the easiest scapegoat. This failure to harmonize national laws (like the GIPC Act) with regional commitments is the single greatest obstacle to true integration.
🛤️ The Path Forward: From Rhetoric to Reality
Resolving this requires moving beyond emergency diplomacy to proactive, institutionalized solutions:
- Harmonize Trade Laws: ECOWAS member states must align national trade and investment laws with the regional protocol to prevent legal clashes.
- Public Education: Governments and media must actively promote narratives of shared history and mutual benefit, countering xenophobic rhetoric.
- Strengthen Bilateral Frameworks: The Joint Commission must meet regularly, not just during crises, to address issues from trade rules to cultural understanding.
- Diaspora Leadership: Diaspora communities must be proactive in civic engagement and ensure their cultural practices respect the legal and traditional frameworks of their host countries.
Final Thought
The Ghana-Nigeria relationship is a microcosm of the Pan-African dream. It holds all the promise of shared prosperity and all the perils of post-colonial rivalries. The Igbo proverb, “Onye ajuru anaghi aju onwe ya” (He who is rejected does not reject himself), speaks to the resilience of a people accustomed to building success wherever they go.
The question for Ghana, Nigeria, and indeed all of Africa, is whether we will build our future on the politics of exclusion or on the enduring strength of our shared destiny. If these two giants cannot find a way to dance without stepping on each other’s toes, the dream of a truly united and integrated continent will remain just that—a dream.
