Canada deported no fewer than 366 Nigerian nationals between January and October 2025 as the country intensified immigration enforcement at its fastest pace in more than a decade, according to official data.
Figures obtained from the removals programme further revealed that an additional 974 Nigerians are currently listed under “removal in progress,” meaning they are awaiting deportation from the country.
The statistics, last updated on November 25, 2025, ranked Nigeria ninth among the top 10 countries whose nationals were removed from Canada during the period under review. Nigeria also placed fifth among nationalities with the highest number of people currently facing removal.
A closer look at historical data shows that deportations of Nigerians from Canada have fluctuated over the years. In 2019, a total of 339 Nigerians were removed. That number dropped to 302 in 2020, declined further to 242 in 2021, and fell again to 199 in 2022.
Nigeria did not feature among the top 10 deported nationalities in 2023 and 2024. However, the country returned to the list in 2025, with 366 deportations recorded within just 10 months. This represents an increase of about eight per cent compared to the 2019 figure, despite the shorter reporting period.
The renewed spike coincides with a broader immigration enforcement drive by Canadian authorities. The CBSA is now deporting close to 400 foreign nationals every week, marking the highest removal rate recorded in over 10 years.
In the 2024–2025 fiscal year alone, Canada removed 18,048 persons at an estimated cost of 78 million dollars, underscoring the scale and financial implications of the intensified deportation programme.
Under Canada’s , the CBSA is legally required to remove any foreign national with an enforceable removal order. Individuals may be declared inadmissible for a wide range of reasons, including criminality, security concerns, misrepresentation, health-related grounds, financial incapacity, or failure to comply with immigration regulations.
CBSA data indicate that approximately 83 per cent of deportees are failed refugee claimants whose asylum applications were rejected after due process. Criminal-related cases account for roughly four per cent of removals, while the remaining cases involve other administrative or legal breaches.
Canadian law recognises three main types of removal orders. A departure order requires the individual to leave Canada within 30 days. An exclusion order bars re-entry for a period ranging from one to five years. A deportation order permanently prohibits return to Canada unless special authorisation is granted by immigration authorities.
Analysis of the 2025 deportation data shows that Nigeria is the only African country listed among the top 10 nationalities removed from Canada. Other African countries were grouped under the category “remaining nationals,” accounting collectively for 6,233 removals.
The countries with the highest number of deportations in 2025 were Mexico with 3,972 removals, India with 2,831, Haiti with 2,012, Colombia with 737, Romania with 672, the United States with 656, Venezuela with 562, China with 385, Nigeria with 366, and Pakistan with 359.
A similar pattern appears in the “removal in progress” category. Nigeria is again the only African country in the top 10, with 974 nationals awaiting deportation. The list is led by India with 6,515 cases, followed by Mexico with 4,650, the United States with 1,704, China with 1,430, and Nigeria.
Canadian authorities say the tougher enforcement measures are aimed at meeting revised immigration targets and easing mounting pressures related to housing shortages, labour market strain, and border security challenges.
To support these objectives, the Canadian government has earmarked an additional 30.5 million dollars over three years specifically for removals, alongside a broader 1.3 billion dollar investment in border security infrastructure and operations.
However, refugee and immigration advocates have raised concerns about the humanitarian and legal implications of the crackdown. The president of the , , has warned that deportations could rise even further if proposed legislative changes are passed.
“One of the clauses in that bill would permanently bar many people from making refugee claims in Canada,” she cautioned, referring to Bill C-12, commonly described as the “border bill.”
Despite the tightening immigration environment, Canada remains a major destination for Nigerians seeking education, employment, and improved living standards. The 2021 Canadian census showed that more than 40,000 Nigerians migrated to Canada between 2016 and 2021, making them the largest African migrant group and the fifth-largest recent immigrant population overall.
Data from also show that 6,600 Nigerians became permanent residents in just the first four months of 2024, ranking fourth behind India, the Philippines, and China.
Between 2005 and 2024, over 71,000 Nigerians acquired Canadian citizenship, placing Nigeria among the top 10 source countries for new Canadian citizens.
Canada’s ageing population and persistent labour shortages continue to attract skilled Nigerian professionals and international students, even as immigration controls grow increasingly strict. Analysts say this contrast highlights the complex balance Canada faces between economic needs and enforcement priorities.
As deportations rise and policies tighten, the experiences of Nigerians in Canada remain a focal point in broader global debates around migration, asylum, and border control.
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