Nigeria Grants Asylum to Guinea‑Bissau Opposition Candidate After Coup
The federal government of Nigeria has granted asylum to Fernando Dias da Costa, an opposition presidential candidate in Guinea-Bissau, providing him protection within the premises of the Nigerian embassy in Bissau.
Threats Follow Military Coup, Prompting Intervention
The asylum was approved in the wake of a recent military takeover in Guinea‑Bissau, which followed chaotic presidential elections. The coup was announced just days after the polls, at a time when both the incumbent, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, and Fernando Dias da Costa had each claimed victory, even before results were officially declared.
According to a letter dated 30 November 2025, sent by Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar and approved by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the protection decision responds to “credible threats” to da Costa’s life.
The letter also asked the regional bloc Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to mandate its Stabilization Support Mission in Guinea‑Bissau (ESSMGB) to provide security around the Nigerian embassy where da Costa is sheltered.
Nigeria’s Motive: Regional Stability, Democratic Norms
Nigerian officials described the asylum as an exercise of sovereign responsibility and an affirmation of the country’s longstanding commitment to peace, stability, and democratic governance across West Africa.
The move underscores Nigeria’s role as a regional stabilizer and its willingness to intervene to protect threatened political figures when constitutional order is disrupted.
As the political crisis in Guinea‑Bissau deepens, da Costa remains under the protection of the Nigerian mission, while ECOWAS and other international actors urge a swift return to constitutional rule.