Canada deported 366 Nigerians between January and October 2025, with an additional 974 currently awaiting removal as authorities intensify immigration enforcement to levels not recorded in over a decade, official data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reveals. The statistics, last updated on November 25, 2025, place Nigeria ninth among the top 10 nationalities deported from Canada during the period. Nigeria also ranks fifth among countries with the highest number of individuals in the removal in progress category, a designation indicating deportation proceedings have begun but remain incomplete.
Failed refugee claimants whose asylum applications were denied account for approximately 83 percent of Nigerian deportees, while criminality accounts for roughly four percent of removals. Under Canadian law, individuals issued with enforceable removal orders are required to leave the country. Historical data shows deportations of Nigerians have fluctuated significantly in recent years. Canada removed 339 Nigerians in 2019, a figure that declined to 302 in 2020, 242 in 2021 and 199 in 2022.
Nigeria did not appear among the top 10 countries for deportations in 2023 and 2024 but returned to the list in 2025, representing an eight percent increase compared with 2019 totals. 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 during the year. The top countries for deportations include Mexico with 3,972 removals, India with 2,831, Haiti with 2,012, Colombia with 737, and Romania with 672.
In the removal in progress inventory, Nigeria trails only India with 6,515 cases, Mexico with 4,650, the United States with 1,704, and China with 1,430. The 974 Nigerians awaiting deportation represent the highest number from any African nation on the continental list. Canada is currently removing an average of 400 individuals per week, the fastest deportation rate recorded in more than a decade. In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year alone, authorities removed 18,048 foreign nationals at an estimated cost of approximately 78 million dollars.
Canadian authorities say the intensified deportation drive aims to meet revised immigration targets and ease pressures linked to housing shortages, labour market strain and border security concerns. The government has earmarked an additional 30.5 million dollars over three years for removals, alongside a 1.3 billion dollar investment in border security.
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, CBSA is legally mandated to remove any foreign national subject to an enforceable removal order. Individuals may be deemed inadmissible for reasons ranging from security concerns, human or international rights violations and criminal activity to misrepresentation, health or financial issues, and failure to comply with immigration regulations.
Canadian law recognizes three categories of removal orders. Departure orders require individuals to leave within 30 days. Exclusion orders bar reentry for between one and five years. Deportation orders permanently prohibit return unless special authorization is granted.
Many claims are reportedly rejected based on the Internal Flight Alternative concept, where Canadian officials argue claimants can safely relocate to other parts of Nigeria rather than remaining in Canada. The 974 Nigerians currently in the removal in progress category face varying timelines depending on individual circumstances including outstanding appeals, travel document procurement and coordination with Nigerian authorities.
CBSA typically coordinates with countries of origin to verify citizenship and obtain necessary documentation before executing removals. Community organizations supporting affected individuals report challenges including separation of families where some members hold legal status while others face deportation, financial difficulties preventing departure within required timelines, and difficulties accessing legal representation to explore remaining options.
The deportation statistics represent a small fraction of Canada’s total Nigerian population, which numbers in tens of thousands across multiple immigration categories. The vast majority of Nigerian residents in Canada maintain legal status as citizens, permanent residents, temporary workers or students in good standing with immigration requirements.
