Canada deported 366 Nigerian nationals between January and October 2025 as immigration enforcement intensified to its highest level in more than a decade, according to official records.
Data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), last updated on November 25, 2025, showed that Nigeria ranked ninth among the top 10 countries whose nationals were removed during the period. The figures also revealed that an additional 974 Nigerians are currently undergoing deportation procedures and are listed in the agency’s “removal in progress” inventory, placing Nigeria fifth among countries with pending cases.
Historical records indicate fluctuating deportation figures for Nigerians from Canada. In 2019, 339 Nigerians were deported, dropping to 302 in 2020, 242 in 2021 and 199 in 2022. Nigeria did not feature among the top 10 countries for deportations in 2023 and 2024 but reappeared on the list in 2025, with 366 removals recorded within 10 months—an eight per cent increase compared to 2019.
The rise coincides with Canada’s broader crackdown on irregular migration. The CBSA is currently removing nearly 400 foreign nationals weekly, the highest rate in over 10 years. During the 2024–2025 fiscal year, Canada deported 18,048 individuals, spending an estimated $78 million on the exercise.
Under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA is required to remove any foreign national issued with an enforceable removal order. Grounds for inadmissibility include security concerns, criminality, organised crime, human or international rights violations, health or financial reasons, misrepresentation, or failure to comply with immigration laws.
Statistics show that failed refugee claimants account for about 83 per cent of deportations, while criminality accounts for roughly four per cent. Canadian law recognises three types of removal orders: departure orders, exclusion orders and deportation orders.
The Canadian government said the intensified removals are part of efforts to tighten immigration targets and address challenges related to housing shortages, labour market pressures and border security. Ottawa has allocated an additional $30.5 million over three years for removal operations and committed $1.3 billion to strengthen border security.
President of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, Aisling Bondy, warned that deportations could increase further if Bill C-12, also known as the border bill, is passed, noting that some provisions could permanently bar certain individuals from filing refugee claims.
An analysis of the CBSA data showed that Nigeria was the only African country among the top 10 nationalities deported in 2025 and the only African country in the top 10 removal-in-progress list.
Despite the deportations, Canada remains a major destination for Nigerians. The 2021 census showed that more than 40,000 Nigerians migrated to Canada between 2016 and 2021, making them the largest African migrant group in the country. Between 2005 and 2024, over 71,000 Nigerians acquired Canadian citizenship, while thousands more continue to obtain permanent resident status each year.
