Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officials at an international airport enforcing new immigration and removal policies for 2026.

Canada has deported 366 Nigerians in 2025, marking its fastest pace of immigration enforcement in over a decade.

Canada has significantly intensified its immigration enforcement, deporting at least 366 Nigerians between January and October 2025. This surge comes as the country records its highest removal rate in over ten years.

Official data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reveals that an additional 974 Nigerians are currently on the "removal in progress" list, awaiting their final deportation orders. 

This places Nigeria as the only African nation in the top 10 for both deported citizens and those awaiting removal in 2025.

The Canadian government has pivoted toward a more aggressive immigration stance, with the CBSA now removing nearly 400 foreign nationals every week. 

In the 2024–2025 fiscal year, the country spent an estimated $78 million to remove 18,048 individuals.

This crackdown is part of a broader strategy to address domestic pressures, including housing shortages and labour market strain. 

To support this, the government has earmarked an additional $30.5 million specifically for removals and over $1.3 billion for border security.

According to the CBSA, the vast majority of those deported are failed asylum seekers.

83% of removals involve failed refugee claimants.

4% of removals are linked to criminal activity.

Other reasons include misrepresentation, security concerns, or failure to comply with residency regulations.

Removal Category   Total Number of              Nigerians (2025)

Enforced Removals    366

Removals in Progress    974

Global Rank (Deportations)    9th

Despite these rising enforcement figures, Canada remains a top destination for Nigerians. In the first half of 2025 alone, over 6,800 Nigerians successfully acquired Canadian citizenship, making them the largest African migrant group to do so.

However, the path to residency is becoming increasingly narrow. Refugee advocates warn that the newly introduced Bill C-12, often called the "border bill," could permanently bar many people from even making a refugee claim in the future. 

For Nigerians planning to move to North America, these statistics underscore the critical importance of ensuring all travel and residency documents are fully compliant with evolving Canadian laws.