‎Between hope and home: 366 Nigerians deported from Canada as hundreds more face uncertain future

‎For 32-year-old Chinedu (surname withheld), Canada was meant to be a fresh start — a place where years of uncertainty back home would finally give way to stability. Instead, he arrived back in Lagos this year with one suitcase, a deportation order, and unanswered questions about what comes next.
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‎Chinedu is one of 366 Nigerians deported from Canada between January and October 2025, as Canadian authorities intensified immigration enforcement. Nearly 1,000 more Nigerians — 974 to be exact — are now in the final stages of removal, according to data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
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‎Behind the numbers are disrupted lives: families separated, savings exhausted, and dreams abruptly cut short.
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‎A Sudden Return to an Unfamiliar Home
‎Many of those deported had lived in Canada for years, working low-paying jobs, studying, or waiting for the outcome of asylum claims. For most, the return to Nigeria was not planned.
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‎CBSA figures show that about 83 per cent of those removed were failed refugee claimants, people who sought protection but were eventually denied. Only a small fraction — roughly four per cent — were deported on criminality grounds.
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‎“They didn’t come back because things got better at home,” said a Lagos-based migration advocate. “They came back because the system closed its doors on them.”
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‎A Sharp Turn After Years of Decline
‎Nigeria’s return to Canada’s top deportation list marks a reversal of a downward trend that lasted several years. Deportations fell steadily from 339 in 2019 to 199 in 2022, and Nigeria did not rank among the top 10 affected countries in 2023 and 2024.
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‎That changed in 2025. With 366 removals, Nigeria now ranks ninth among nationalities deported from Canada, and fifth among those currently awaiting removal.
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‎The shift coincides with Canada’s most aggressive enforcement push in over a decade.
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‎Canada’s Tougher Stance
‎Canadian authorities are now removing around 400 people every week, a pace not seen in more than 10 years. In the 2024–2025 fiscal year alone, over 18,000 foreign nationals were deported, costing the government about $78 million.
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‎Officials say the removals are mandated by law. Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, individuals can be declared inadmissible for reasons including rejected asylum claims, misrepresentation, or health and security concerns.
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‎To sustain the crackdown, the federal government has committed $30.5 million over three years for removal operations, alongside $1.3 billion for broader border security measures.
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‎Anxiety for Those Still Waiting
‎For the 974 Nigerians currently listed as “removal in progress,” life is lived in limbo — reporting regularly to immigration offices, avoiding long-term commitments, and waiting for a final call that could come at any time.
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‎Advocacy groups fear the situation could worsen if Bill C-12, Canada’s proposed “border bill,” becomes law. Critics argue that the legislation may make it harder for migrants to file or sustain refugee claims, increasing deportations across the board.
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‎A Paradox of Welcome and Rejection
‎Ironically, deportations are rising at a time when Nigeria remains one of Canada’s major sources of immigrants. Census data shows that more than 40,000 Nigerians moved to Canada between 2016 and 2021, drawn by study opportunities, work prospects, and a reputation for fairness.
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‎For those sent back, the contrast is painful.
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‎“People see Canada as a land of opportunity,” said another returnee in Abuja. “But when you are forced to leave, you realise how fragile that dream really is.”
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‎As Canada tightens its borders, hundreds of Nigerians are now rebuilding lives they thought they had left behind — caught between a country that no longer wants them and a home that feels unfamiliar after years away.ld), Canada was meant to be a fresh start — a place where years of uncertainty back home would finally give way to stability. Instead, he arrived back in Lagos this year with one suitcase, a deportation order, and unanswered questions about what comes next.
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