Canada deported 366 Nigerian nationals between January and October 2025 as immigration enforcement reached its most aggressive level in more than a decade, according to official figures obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
Data from the CBSA removals programme also showed that 974 Nigerians are currently listed under “removal in progress,” meaning they are awaiting deportation from the country.
The statistics, last updated on November 25, 2025, placed Nigeria ninth among the top 10 nationalities deported from Canada during the period under review. Nigeria also ranked fifth among countries with the highest number of individuals awaiting removal.
Historical records indicate fluctuating deportation numbers for Nigerians over the years. Canada removed 339 Nigerians in 2019, 302 in 2020, 242 in 2021, and 199 in 2022. Nigeria dropped out of the top 10 deportation list in 2023 and 2024 but re-emerged in 2025 with 366 deportations within just 10 months—an eight per cent increase compared to 2019.
The spike aligns with a broader immigration clampdown by Canadian authorities. The CBSA is now deporting close to 400 foreign nationals each week, marking the highest removal rate in over 10 years. In the 2024–2025 fiscal year alone, Canada deported 18,048 people at an estimated cost of $78m.
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA is mandated to remove foreign nationals with enforceable removal orders. Individuals may be deemed inadmissible for reasons ranging from criminality and security concerns to misrepresentation, health issues, financial reasons, organised crime, and violations of immigration rules.
Failed refugee claimants account for the majority of deportations, making up about 83 per cent of removals, while criminality represents roughly four per cent.
Canadian immigration law recognises three categories of removal orders: departure orders, which require exit within 30 days; exclusion orders, which bar re-entry for one to five years; and deportation orders, which permanently prohibit return unless special permission is granted.
The Canadian government said the intensified deportation drive is aimed at meeting revised immigration targets and addressing pressures linked to housing shortages, labour market strain, and border security. To support the effort, Ottawa allocated an additional $30.5m over three years for removals and committed $1.3bn to strengthening border security.
Concerns have been raised by legal experts that deportations could increase further if Bill C-12, popularly referred to as the ‘border bill,’ is passed. President of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, Aisling Bondy, warned of its potential impact.
“One of the clauses in that bill is that a lot of people will be permanently banned from filing a refugee claim in Canada,” Bondy said.
An analysis of the CBSA data showed that Nigeria is the only African country listed among the top 10 nationalities deported in 2025. Other African countries were grouped under “remaining nationals,” which together accounted for 6,233 removals.
The top 10 countries for deportations in 2025 are 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).
Nigeria is also the only African country featured in the top 10 for removal-in-progress cases. That list is led by India (6,515), followed by Mexico (4,650), the United States (1,704), China (1,430), Nigeria (974), Colombia (895), Pakistan (863), Haiti (741), Brazil (650), and Chile (621).
Despite the deportations, Canada remains a major destination for Nigerians seeking education and economic opportunities. The 2021 Canadian census showed that more than 40,000 Nigerians migrated to Canada between 2016 and 2021, making them the largest African immigrant group and the fifth-largest overall.
Further data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada revealed that 6,600 Nigerians gained permanent residency in the first four months of 2024 alone, ranking fourth behind India, the Philippines, and China. Between 2005 and 2024, about 71,459 Nigerians acquired Canadian citizenship, placing Nigeria 10th among countries of origin for new citizens.
Canada’s ageing population and persistent labour shortages continue to attract skilled Nigerian professionals and students, even as immigration controls tighten.
