Despite a 50% drop in overall net migration to the UK, over 52,000 Nigerians moved to Britain in 2024, placing Nigeria among the top non-EU+ migrant sources, according to ONS.
Approximately 52,000 Nigerians migrated to the United Kingdom in 2024, according to newly released figures from the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday. The data places Nigeria among the leading sources of non-EU+ migration last year.
This influx occurred despite a dramatic drop in net migration to the UK, which fell nearly 50 percent, from 860,000 in 2023 to 431,000 in 2024.
According to the ONS, 27,000 Nigerians arrived on work-related visas, 22,000 for study, and the remaining 3,000 under other immigration categories.
“For the year ending December 2024, Indian nationals were the most common non-EU+ immigrants,” the ONS stated. “Work and study-related immigration were the primary reasons for migration among Indian, Pakistani, and Nigerian nationals.”
The report noted that 83 percent of non-EU+ migrants were working-age, with males comprising 52 percent. Declines in work and study-related migration were linked to post-pandemic emigration and tighter visa rules for dependents.