The latest figures from Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has placed Nigeria ninth among the 10 countries with the highest number of deportees within the review period.
Nigeria also ranked fifth among nationalities with the largest backlog of pending removals, marking a significant shift in North American immigration enforcement.
The records indicates that 366 Nigerian nationals were removed between January and October 2025. This surge is the highest in a decade.
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Also, 974 Nigerians are currently classified as “removal in progress,” a status indicating they are awaiting final deportation from the country.
Global standings: 2025 removal data
Nigeria remains the only African nation featured in the top 10 lists for both completed and pending removals.
In terms of global standings for 2025, the data reveals that Mexico leads the list of completed removals with 3,972 individuals, followed by India with 2,831 and Haiti with 2,012. Nigeria occupies the ninth position on this list with 366 completed deportations. Other nations in the top ten include Colombia (737), Romania (672), the United States (656), Venezuela (562), China (385), and Pakistan (359).
Regarding the backlog of “removals in progress,” India holds the highest number of pending cases at 6,515, followed by Mexico with 4,650 and the United States with 1,704. Nigeria ranks fifth in this category with 974 individuals currently awaiting removal. The remainder of the top ten list for pending cases comprises China (1,430), Colombia (895), Pakistan (863), Haiti (741), Brazil (650), and Chile (621).
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A decade of fluctuating figures
The re-emergence of Nigeria in the top 10 list of deported nationalities marks a sharp departure from recent years.
Whilst 339 Nigerians were removed in 2019, figures saw a steady decline during the pandemic era, falling to just 199 in 2022. Notably, Nigeria did not appear in the top 10 rankings for 2023 or 2024.
However, the 2025 data shows an 8 percent increase over 2019 levels, occurring within only ten months of the calendar year.
This spike aligns with a broader Canadian policy shift, where the CBSA is now deporting approximately 400 foreign nationals every week.
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The cost of enforcement
During the 2024–2025 fiscal year, Canadian authorities deported a total of 18,048 individuals at an estimated public cost of $78m (£44m).
Under the nation’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA is legally required to remove any foreign national deemed inadmissible.
Reasons for removal vary, ranging from national security concerns and criminal activity to financial inadmissibility and breaches of visa conditions. However, the data confirms that “failed refugee claimants” constitute the vast majority of cases, accounting for 83 percent of all removals.
