Canada deported 366 Nigerian nationals between January and October 2025 amid a stepped-up immigration enforcement campaign, according to official figures obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
The data also shows that 974 Nigerians are currently listed as “removal in progress,” placing Nigeria ninth among the top 10 nationalities deported during the period and fifth among those awaiting removal.
Updated on November 25, 2025, the statistics indicate that deportations of Nigerians have fluctuated over the years. Canada removed 339 Nigerians in 2019, 302 in 2020, 242 in 2021 and 199 in 2022. Although Nigeria did not appear among the top 10 in 2023 and 2024, it re-entered the list in 2025 with 366 removals in just 10 months—an eight per cent increase compared to 2019.
The rise comes as Canada intensifies its immigration crackdown, with the CBSA now deporting nearly 400 people weekly, the highest rate in more than a decade. In the 2024–2025 fiscal year, Canada removed 18,048 individuals at a cost of about $78m.
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA is required to enforce removal orders against foreign nationals found inadmissible on grounds such as criminality, security concerns, misrepresentation, health or financial reasons, and non-compliance with immigration rules. Failed refugee claimants account for about 83 per cent of removals, while criminal cases make up roughly four per cent.
Nigeria is the only African country featured among the top 10 nationalities deported in 2025. Other African countries are grouped under “remaining nationals,” which together accounted for 6,233 removals.
Despite the crackdown, Canada remains a major destination for Nigerians. Census and immigration data show tens of thousands of Nigerians have migrated to Canada in recent years, with many obtaining permanent residency or citizenship, driven by opportunities created by Canada’s ageing population and labour shortages.
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