More than 52,000 Nigerians moved to the United Kingdom in 2024, according to a new report from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The report, released on Thursday, showed that Nigerians were among the top non-European migrants to the UK last year. Despite a drop in total migration numbers, Nigeria joined India, Pakistan, and China as one of the main countries sending migrants to the UK.
“Work and study-related immigration were the primary reasons for migration among Indian, Pakistani, and Nigerian nationals,” the ONS report stated.
Out of the 52,000 Nigerian migrants, 27,000 went to the UK for work, 22,000 for studies, and 3,000 under other visa categories.
The overall net migration to the UK dropped by almost 50 per cent in 2024. The ONS said net migration fell from 860,000 in 2023 to 431,000 in 2024.
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Most non-European migrants were of working age. “Eighty-three per cent were aged between 16 and 64. Men made up 52 per cent, and women made up 48 per cent,” the report noted.
Children under 16 made up 16 per cent of migrants, while only one per cent were above 65 years old.
The ONS also explained that migration numbers went down because fewer people arrived on work and study visas, and many who came during the COVID-19 pandemic have now returned to their home countries.
“Work-related immigration among main applicants dropped by 108,000 — a 49 per cent decrease,” the report added.
Study-related immigration also declined by 17 per cent, while the number of study visa dependents fell by a sharp 86 per cent.