TRENDING
More than 34,000 Nigerians officially became citizens of the United States through naturalisation between 2020 and 2022, according to fresh data published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The findings are part of the Naturalisations Annual Flow Report compiled by the Office of Homeland Security Statistics, which places Nigeria among the top 20 countries of origin for newly naturalised Americans during the period.
The report, which draws data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), indicates that Nigeria ranked 15th overall and was the highest-ranking African nation on the list. Naturalisation is the process by which foreign nationals become U.S. citizens after fulfilling a set of criteria outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act.
According to the report, Nigerian naturalisation numbers steadily increased across the three years. In 2020, 8,930 Nigerians gained citizenship, accounting for 1.4 per cent of the total 628,258 naturalisations that year. The following year saw that number rise to 10,921—an increase of over 22 per cent—as USCIS resumed operations following an 11-week COVID-19 lockdown that delayed many oath-taking ceremonies. By 2022, naturalisations among Nigerians peaked at 14,438, representing a 32 per cent increase from the previous year. Over the three years, this amounted to an overall growth of nearly 59 per cent.
Naturalisation data is primarily sourced from Form N-400, the formal application submitted by individuals seeking American citizenship. Information captured includes an applicant’s birth country, age, marital status, and U.S. state of residence. This data is processed through USCIS’s digital systems and the Central Index System, which tracks cases from biometric screening to the final oath ceremony.
The benefits of naturalisation extend beyond legal residency. Once granted, new citizens receive nearly all the rights accorded to native-born Americans, such as voting rights and access to federal benefits.
Regionally, Nigeria was a standout performer on the African continent
