Nigeria clarifies Kuwait “ban” on domestic workers
of Foreign Affairs
Abdullateef Fowewe
Federal Government of Nigeria has clarified reports of a new Kuwaiti ban on recruiting Nigerian domestic workers are misleading.
FG through a statement made available on Saturday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the situation as a continuation of a suspension initiated by Nigeria’s Embassy in Kuwait to protect workers’ welfare.
The statement noted, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken note of recent media reports suggesting that the Government of Kuwait has imposed a ban on the recruitment of Nigerian domestic workers.
“The Ministry wishes to clarify that the reports DO NOT accurately reflect the current situation.”
According to the ministry, the restriction traces back to an earlier formal request by Nigeria’s Embassy in Kuwait City to the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs “to suspend the recruitment and deployment of domestic workers/housemaids from Nigeria to the State of Kuwait pending the resolution of concerns relating to the welfare, protection, and working conditions of Nigerian domestic workers in the country.”
The statement emphasised that the measure is about safeguarding citizens rather than a new punitive step by Kuwait.
“Therefore, the issue is not of a fresh ban imposed by the Kuwaiti authorities on Nigerian domestic workers, but rather a continuation of measures earlier adopted by the Embassy to ensure the safety, dignity, and rights of its citizens seeking employment abroad,” the statement said.
The ministry added that both countries will keep engaging through diplomatic channels on labor and migration issues.
“Competent authorities from both sides will continue to engage with a view to establishing a mutually beneficial framework that guarantees fair recruitment practices, adequate legal protection, and decent working conditions for Nigerian workers,” the statement read.
The MFA urged journalists and the public to verify information with official sources to avoid spreading misleading reports that could cause “unnecessary concern among Nigerians residing in Kuwait and their families at home.”
