They were supposed to attend the African Bitcoin Conference: PMO clarifies the reasons for the expulsion of African delegates

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) responded to an article published on the front page and page 12 of the Defi Quotidien on Thursday, December 4, titled "Five Africans Blocked at the Airport and Deported." The five individuals in question—four from Benin and one from Nigeria—were expected in Mauritius to attend the fourth edition of the Africa Bitcoin Conference, held from December 3 to 5 at the Caudan Arts Centre.

The PMO confirmed that these five Africans were turned away and provided details as to why.

PMO's explanations regarding...

...the case of the four Beninese

According to the authorities, on November 30, 2025, four Beninese nationals arrived in Mauritius on a Turkish Airlines flight. Upon passing through immigration, they claimed they were on vacation for seven days and had booked an Airbnb accommodation in Pointe aux Piments. However, when the immigration officer asked them additional questions, the PMO highlighted that:

1. One of the travelers had only Rs 4,000, an amount deemed insufficient to cover his needs for the entire stay;
2. Two others had no funds on them;
3. The fourth individual had neither money nor a return ticket.

According to the PMO, the four Beninese citizens also did not mention their attendance at the Africa Bitcoin Conference during immigration. "They were denied entry and repatriated the same day because they did not meet the required immigration conditions to enter Mauritius, as stipulated by Regulation 25(4) of the Passport Regulations," the PMO stated.

The case of the Nigerian

On December 1, 2025, a Nigerian national arrived in Mauritius on an Emirates flight. According to the PMO, he stated he wanted to stay on the island for six days. "However, he could not provide any information about his place of residence in Mauritius. He only had 400 USD, which was considered insufficient to cover his stay. Although he claimed he came to attend a conference, he was unable to specify its name or nature. He was therefore denied entry and repatriated the same day," the PMO indicated.

...the letter from Ms. Farida Bemba Nabourema

It was during her opening speech on December 3 that Farida Bemba Nabourema, Executive Director of the Africa Bitcoin Conference, condemned the refusal of access to Mauritius for some participants at the conference. Here is an excerpt of what she subsequently told Defi Quotidien: "Some of our participants were blocked at the airport, and the immigration procedures were extremely difficult for them. I met some of them, and they didn't even have the chance to explain why they were there. They were harassed and expelled despite our efforts to clarify that they were there for the conference, that their accommodation was covered, and that they had their return tickets. Some of them are bright young Africans, technology engineers. The only thing that seemed suspicious was that they might not return. I don’t think this is the right way to treat African countries. It is completely unfair, as many people from other nationalities have come. No one from Europe or America was questioned."

The PMO's response: "On December 1, 2025, a letter was sent to the Passport and Immigration Office by Ms. Farida Bemba Nabourema, Executive Director of the Africa Bitcoin Conference, requesting that assistance be provided to all participants. However, no list of participants accompanied this request. Of the 175 announced participants for the conference, 130 came from the African continent—including 4 from Benin and 29 from Nigeria—and were able to enter Mauritius after meeting all immigration requirements. The five individuals who were turned away had not provided the required documents or met the conditions set by Mauritian immigration regulations."

Immigration conditions for entering Mauritius require that anyone: (a) holds a valid passport beyond the intended duration of stay; (b) possesses a valid return ticket to return to their country of origin or residence; (c) is authorized to return to their country of origin or residence; (d) has sufficient funds to cover their stay; (e) has a confirmed hotel reservation or sponsorship for accommodation; (f) is not engaging in gainful employment; and (g) is not an inadmissible immigrant.