MigrantoMigration trends in Nigeria
Africa
2.1M people from Nigeria have built lives abroad. That's 0.9% of the country population, spread across 82 different countries
232.7M
Population
1.3M
Immigrants
2.1M
Emigrants
−832K
Outflow
0.9% of people born in Nigeria now live abroad
The #37 largest source of emigrants worldwide
Top corridors
The largest migration routes in Nigeria
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
299.6K immigrants · 394.1K emigrants
1995
- USA replaced Cameroon as the main destination for those leaving
2000
- The diaspora abroad passed 500K people
2005
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 99%
- The country became a destination — more people arriving than leaving
- Rose into the 3 biggest immigrant destinations in Africa
- An accelerating exodus — the diaspora abroad grew by 41%
2010
- The country became a place of departure — more people leaving than arriving
2015
- Rose into the 3 biggest immigrant destinations in Africa
- The foreign-born population passed 1M residents
- The diaspora abroad passed 1M people
- The outflow deepened — net losses doubled to 283.1K
Today
- Since 1990: 962.8K more foreign-born residents and 1.7M more citizens living abroad
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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