Canada deported no fewer than 366 Nigerians between January and October 2025, as the country stepped up immigration enforcement at its fastest pace in more than a decade, according to official figures.
Data obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) removals programme also showed that an additional 974 Nigerians are currently listed under “removal in progress,” meaning they are awaiting deportation.
The statistics, last updated on November 25, 2025, placed Nigeria ninth among the top 10 countries whose nationals were removed from Canada during the period under review. Nigeria also ranked fifth among nationalities with the highest number of people awaiting removal.
A review of historical data revealed that deportations of Nigerians from Canada have fluctuated over the years. In 2019, a total of 339 Nigerians were removed. The figure declined to 302 in 2020, 242 in 2021, and 199 in 2022. Nigeria did not feature among the top 10 deported nationalities in 2023 and 2024, but returned to the list in 2025 with 366 deportations recorded within just 10 months—an increase of about eight per cent compared to the 2019 figure.
The surge coincides with a broader immigration crackdown by Canadian authorities. The CBSA is now deporting close to 400 foreign nationals every week, the highest 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.
Under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA is mandated to remove any foreign national with an enforceable removal order. Individuals may be deemed inadmissible for reasons ranging from criminality and security concerns to misrepresentation, health issues, financial reasons, or failure to comply with immigration regulations.
CBSA data indicated that about 83 per cent of deportees are failed refugee claimants whose asylum applications were rejected, while criminal-related cases account for roughly four per cent of removals.
Canadian law recognises three types of removal orders: departure orders, which require individuals to leave within 30 days; exclusion orders, which bar re-entry for between one and five years; and deportation orders, which permanently prohibit return unless special authorisation is granted.
An analysis of the 2025 deportation data showed that Nigeria is the only African country listed among the top 10 nationalities removed from Canada. Other African countries were grouped under “remaining nationals,” accounting for a combined 6,233 removals.
The leading countries for deportations in 2025 were Mexico (3,972), India (2,831), Haiti (2,012), Colombia (737), Romania (672), the United States (656), Venezuela (562), China (385), Nigeria (366), and Pakistan (359).
Similarly, Nigeria is the only African country among the top 10 in the “removal in progress” category, which is led by India (6,515), followed by Mexico (4,650), the United States (1,704), China (1,430), and Nigeria (974).
Canadian authorities said the intensified deportation drive is aimed at meeting revised immigration targets and easing pressures linked to housing shortages, labour market strain, and border security. To support these efforts, the government has earmarked an additional $30.5 million over three years for removals, alongside a $1.3 billion investment in border security.
However, refugee advocates have raised concerns about the impact of tighter policies. The President of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, Aisling Bondy, warned that deportations could rise further if Bill C-12, widely referred to as the “border bill,” is passed.
“One of the clauses in that bill would permanently bar many people from making refugee claims in Canada,” she said.
Despite the tightening enforcement, Canada remains a major destination for Nigerians seeking education, employment, and improved living conditions. 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.
Figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada indicated that 6,600 Nigerians became permanent residents in the first four months of 2024 alone, ranking fourth behind India, the Philippines, and China. Between 2005 and 2024, more than 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 students, even as immigration controls grow increasingly stringent.
