Canada deported 366 Nigerian nationals between January and October 2025 as it intensified immigration enforcement, with nearly 1,000 others currently facing removal, official data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) show.
Figures updated on November 25 indicate that 974 Nigerians are listed under “removal in progress,” placing Nigeria ninth among countries with the highest number of deportations in 2025 and fifth among those with the most pending removals.
“The CBSA is mandated to enforce removal orders once they become legally enforceable. These actions are not discretionary but required under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act,” a CBSA spokesperson said.
The 2025 figures mark a sharp increase from recent years. Canada deported 199 Nigerians in 2022, and Nigeria did not feature among the top 10 deported countries in 2023 and 2024. The agency is now removing close to 400 foreign nationals weekly, the fastest pace in more than a decade.
Authorities say most removals involve failed refugee claims, which account for about 83 per cent of cases.
The federal government has linked the crackdown to stricter immigration targets and pressures related to housing, jobs and border security, while rights advocates warn that deportations could rise further under proposed immigration laws.