Canada deported 366 Nigerians between January and October 2025 as authorities intensified immigration enforcement at the fastest pace in over a decade.
Data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), updated November 25, 2025, also shows that 974 Nigerians are currently in the “removal-in-progress” queue, awaiting deportation.
Nigeria ranked ninth among the top 10 nationalities deported in 2025 and is the only African country on the list. It also placed fifth among nationalities awaiting removal.
The 2025 figure marks a sharp rebound after Nigeria dropped out of the top 10 in 2023 and 2024, and represents an 8% increase over 2019.
The removals come amid an aggressive nationwide crackdown. Canada now deports nearly 400 people weekly, removing 18,048 foreign nationals in the 2024–2025 fiscal year at a cost of about $78 million.
About 83% of those deported are failed refugee claimants, while criminality accounts for roughly 4%. Under Canadian law, anyone with an enforceable removal order must be deported.
Authorities say the push is aimed at tightening immigration targets and easing pressure on housing, jobs, and border security, backing the effort with an extra $30.5 million for removals and $1.3 billion for border enforcement.
Immigration lawyers warn deportations could rise further if Bill C-12 is passed, potentially imposing permanent bans on some refugee claims.
Despite the crackdown, Canada remains a major destination for Nigerians, with over 71,000 Nigerians gaining citizenship between 2005 and 2024, and thousands more arriving yearly as students, workers, and permanent residents.
