Canada Expels 366 Nigerians As Deportation Surge Continues, 974 More Await Removal

Between January and October 2025, Canada deported 366 Nigerians as part of its most aggressive immigration enforcement drive in over a decade.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) shows that an additional 974 Nigerians are currently listed as “removal in progress,” awaiting deportation.

The statistics, updated on November 25, 2025, placed Nigeria ninth among the top 10 nationalities deported during this period, and fifth among countries with the highest number of pending removals.

A review of past trends shows that Nigerian deportations have varied over the years. In 2019, 339 Nigerians were deported, followed by 302 in 2020, 242 in 2021, and 199 in 2022. Nigeria was absent from the top 10 list in 2023 and 2024 but returned in 2025 with 366 removals—an eight percent increase compared to 2019.

This surge comes amid Canada’s intensified crackdown, with the CBSA now removing nearly 400 foreign nationals weekly, the highest rate recorded in over ten years. In the 2024–2025 fiscal year alone, Canada deported 18,048 individuals at a cost of approximately $78 million.

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA is legally required to remove foreign nationals subject to enforceable removal orders. Reasons for deportation include security concerns, criminal activity, organized crime, health issues, financial reasons, misrepresentation, and failure to comply with immigration regulations. About 83 percent of deportees are failed refugee claimants, while criminality accounts for roughly four percent.

Canadian law recognises three types of removal orders: departure orders (requiring exit within 30 days), exclusion orders (banning re-entry for one to five years), and deportation orders (permanently prohibiting re-entry unless special authorisation is granted).

Analysis of 2025 data shows Nigeria as the only African country among the top 10 deported nationalities. Other African countries were grouped under “remaining nationals,” accounting for 6,233 removals.

The top 10 nationalities deported from Canada in 2025 were: Mexico (3,972), India (2,831), Haiti (2,012), Colombia (737), Romania (672), United States (656), Venezuela (562), China (385), Nigeria (366), and Pakistan (359). In the removal-in-progress list, Nigeria again stood out as the only African country in the top 10, with 974 individuals awaiting deportation.

Aisling Bondy, President of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, warned that deportations could rise further if proposed border legislation is enacted, noting that the bill includes clauses that could permanently bar many from filing refugee claims in Canada.

Despite rising deportations, Canada continues to attract Nigerians seeking better opportunities. The 2021 Canadian census indicated that over 40,000 Nigerians migrated between 2016 and 2021, making them the largest African immigrant group and the fifth-largest recent immigrant population overall.

Data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada shows that 6,600 Nigerians obtained permanent residency in the first four months of 2024, ranking fourth behind India, the Philippines, and China. Between 2005 and 2024, at least 71,459 Nigerians acquired Canadian citizenship, placing Nigeria 10th among countries of origin for new citizens.

Canada’s ageing population and ongoing labour shortages continue to drive demand for skilled Nigerian professionals and students.