No Fresh Kuwait Ban on Nigerian Domestic Workers, Foreign Affairs Ministry Clarifies

The Federal Government has clarified that Kuwait has not imposed a new ban on the recruitment of Nigerian domestic workers, contrary to reports circulating in parts of the international media.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, explained that the issue stems from an earlier suspension initiated by the Nigerian Embassy in Kuwait City over concerns about the welfare and working conditions of Nigerian domestic workers.

The ministry stressed that the current situation is not the result of a new restriction by Kuwaiti authorities but reflects an existing measure adopted by Nigeria to safeguard its citizens seeking employment abroad.

The clarification follows media reports in June claiming Kuwait had prohibited the recruitment of domestic workers from 27 countries, including Nigeria, after introducing new labour regulations. According to those reports, recruitment was approved from only 10 countries as part of reforms aimed at improving regulation of the domestic labour sector.

The ministry said:

“The Ministry wishes to clarify that the reports DO NOT accurately reflect the current situation. The Embassy of Nigeria in Kuwait City, Kuwait, had, a few years ago, formally written to the host 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.

“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 ministry noted that diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and Kuwait on labour and migration issues will continue, with both governments seeking to develop a framework that ensures fair recruitment, legal protection and improved working conditions for Nigerian workers in Kuwait.

It also appealed to the public and media organisations to confirm information from official sources before sharing reports that could create unnecessary concern among Nigerians living in Kuwait and their families.

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