Canada deported 366 Nigerians between January and October 2025, marking the fastest pace of removals in over a decade, according to data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
An additional 974 Nigerians are currently listed under “removal in progress,” awaiting deportation.
The statistics, updated on November 25, 2025, place Nigeria ninth among the top 10 nationalities deported from Canada and fifth among those awaiting removal.
Nigerian deportations have fluctuated in recent years, with 339 removals in 2019, declining to 199 in 2022. Nigeria returned to the top 10 in 2025 after missing the list in 2023 and 2024, showing an eight per cent increase compared to 2019.
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The deportations are part of Canada’s intensified immigration enforcement, with the CBSA removing nearly 400 foreign nationals weekly—the highest weekly rate in over 10 years.
In the 2024–2025 fiscal year, 18,048 people were removed at a cost of about $78 million.
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA is required to remove foreign nationals with enforceable removal orders.
The majority of deportees, roughly 83 per cent, are failed refugee claimants, while about four per cent are removed due to criminality.
Removal orders include departure orders (30-day exit), exclusion orders (1–5 years ban), and deportation orders (permanent ban unless authorised).
Canada has cited tighter immigration targets, housing shortages, labour market pressures, and border security concerns as reasons for the crackdown.
An additional $30.5 million has been allocated for removals over three years, alongside $1.3 billion to enhance border security.
Aisling Bondy, President of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, warned that deportations could rise further if Bill C-12, the “border bill,” is passed, which may permanently bar some individuals from filing refugee claims.
Analysis of CBSA data shows Nigeria is the only African country in the top 10 for deportations and removal-in-progress lists.
The top deportation nationalities in 2025 were 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).
