Canada deported 366 Nigerians between January and October 2025, as it intensified immigration enforcement at the fastest pace in over a decade, official data obtained by The Telegraph shows.
The figures, drawn from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) removals programme statistics, also reveal that 974 Nigerians are currently listed in the “removal in progress” inventory, awaiting deportation.
Updated on November 25, 2025, the statistics showed that Nigeria ranked ninth among the top 10 nationalities deported from Canada, while in the removal-in-progress category, it was fifth.
Nigerian deportations have fluctuated over the years. In 2019, 339 Nigerians were removed; this fell to 302 in 2020, 242 in 2021, and 199 in 2022. Nigeria did not feature in the top 10 in 2023 and 2024 but returned in 2025 with 366 deportations, an eight per cent increase from 2019.
The deportations are part of Canada’s broader crackdown, with the CBSA now removing nearly 400 foreign nationals weekly, the highest rate in over a decade. In fiscal year 2024–2025, Canada deported 18,048 people, spending approximately $78 million in the process.
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA is mandated to remove any foreign national with an enforceable removal order. Individuals may face deportation for reasons including security concerns, human or international rights violations, criminality or organised crime, health or financial issues, and misrepresentation or non-compliance with immigration rules.
Most removals—around 83 per cent—are failed refugee claimants, while criminality accounts for roughly four per cent. Canadian law recognises three types of removal orders. Departure orders require individuals to leave within 30 days. Exclusion orders bar re-entry for one to five years, while deportation orders permanently bar re-entry unless special authorisation is obtained.
Canada has ramped up deportations to meet immigration targets and address housing shortages, labour market pressures, and border security. The government has allocated an additional $30.5 million over three years to enhance removal efforts, alongside a $1.3 billion commitment to bolster border security.
Aisling Bondy, President of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, warned that deportations could rise further if Bill C-12, the so-called “border bill,” passes. “One of the clauses in that bill would permanently bar many people from filing refugee claims in Canada,” she said.
Nigeria is the only African country in the top 10 for deportations in 2025. Other African nations are grouped under “remaining nationals,” which 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), United States (656), Venezuela (562), China (385), Nigeria (366), and Pakistan (359).
For removals-in-progress, Nigeria (974) is also the only African nation in the top 10, behind India (6,515), Mexico (4,650), the United States (1,704), and China (1,430).
Despite deportations, Canada remains a popular destination for Nigerians. According to the 2021 Canadian census, over 40,000 Nigerians migrated between 2016 and 2021, making them the fifth-largest recent immigrant group and the largest African population in Canada.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada data show that 6,600 Nigerians obtained permanent residency in the first four months of 2024, ranking fourth among international populations, after India, the Philippines, and China. Between 2005 and 2024, over 71,459 Nigerians became Canadian citizens, placing Nigeria 10th among source countries. Canada’s ageing population and labour shortages continue to make it an attractive destination for skilled Nigerian professionals and students.
