More than 52,000 Nigerian nationals migrated to the United Kingdom in 2024, according to newly released data from the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS). This figure places Nigeria among the top contributors to non-EU+ migration to the UK during the year.
The migration occurred against the backdrop of a sharp decline in overall net migration, which fell by nearly 50 percent in the year ending December 2024. Net migration was estimated at 431,000, down significantly from 860,000 recorded the previous year.
Of the Nigerians who relocated, the majority did so for employment or educational opportunities. Specifically, 27,000 individuals received work-related visas, while 22,000 arrived on study visas. The remaining 3,000 entered the UK under other immigration categories.
Nigeria joined India, Pakistan, and China as one of the leading sources of non-EU+ migrants to the UK. The ONS report noted that “for the year ending December 2024, Indian nationals were the most common non-EU+ immigrants,” with work and study remaining the predominant reasons for migration among nationals from India, Pakistan, and Nigeria.
The data also revealed key demographic trends among non-EU+ migrants: 83 percent were of working age (16–64), with a near even gender distribution—52 percent male and 48 percent female. Children under 16 accounted for 16 percent of arrivals, while individuals aged 65 and above made up just one percent.
While Nigeria remained a notable source of migration, the overall drop in immigration levels was attributed to a decline in arrivals on work and study visas, especially from non-EU+ countries, as well as a rise in emigration. According to the ONS, many who migrated during or shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly students, have since returned to their countries of origin.
Work-related migration among primary applicants recorded the steepest decline, falling by 108,000—a 49 percent year-on-year decrease. Similarly, study-related immigration fell by 17 percent, while the number of dependents accompanying international students dropped by 86 percent, marking the most significant decline across all categories.
