MigrantoMigration trends in Nigeria
Africa
Nigeria loses more people than it takes in: 2.1M emigrants against 1.3M immigrants. Net balance −832K — 0% of the country's population
232.7M
Population
1.3M
Immigrants
2.1M
Emigrants
−832K
Outflow
1 in 184 residents of Nigeria was born abroad — and 1 in 112 people born in Nigeria lives abroad
#37 in the world by net migration loss
Top corridors
The largest migration flows 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 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 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 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 emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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