-
Canada deports 366 Nigerians between January–October 2025 amid immigration crackdown
-
974 Nigerians pending removal, Nigeria ranks 9th in deportation list
-
Failed asylum claims drive deportations, majority affected are refused refugee applicants
Canada deported 366 Nigerians between January and October 2025, according to official data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), as the country intensified immigration enforcement at the fastest pace in over a decade.
ATTENTION: Click “HERE” to join our WhatsApp group and receive News updates directly on your WhatsApp!
Currently, 974 Nigerians are in the “removal in progress” inventory, awaiting deportation.
Nigeria ranked ninth among the top 10 nationalities deported in 2025, and is the only African country featured in the top 10. The bulk of deportees—approximately 83 percent—are failed refugee claimants, while criminality accounts for about 4 percent of removals.
The deportation figures mark a notable increase from previous years. In 2019, 339 Nigerians were removed, falling to 199 by 2022. Nigeria did not feature in the top 10 in 2023 and 2024, but returned in 2025 with 366 removals, representing an 8 percent rise from 2019.
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA is obligated to remove foreign nationals with enforceable removal orders. Individuals may face removal for criminality, security, health, financial reasons, misrepresentation, or failure to comply with immigration regulations.
Deportees are issued three types of removal orders: departure orders (leave within 30 days), exclusion orders (bar re-entry for 1–5 years), and deportation orders (permanent ban unless special authorisation is granted).
READ ALSO: How Nigeria Lost N366,524bn to Non-functional Refineries
Canada’s heightened enforcement is linked to housing shortages, labour market pressures, and border security. The government allocated $30.5 million over three years to boost removal efforts and committed $1.3 billion to strengthen border security.
Despite deportations, Canada remains a key destination for Nigerians. The 2021 Canadian census reported over 40,000 Nigerians migrated between 2016–2021, making them the largest African migrant group. Between 2005–2024, 71,459 Nigerians obtained Canadian citizenship, placing Nigeria 10th among source countries.
The deportation surge coincides with a broader CBSA effort that now removes nearly 400 foreign nationals weekly, the highest rate in over a decade.
