Data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reveals that 47,819 Nigerians became naturalised U.S. citizens between October 2019 and September 2023, according to the updated Naturalisation Annual Flow Report.
The annual breakdown shows that 8,930 Nigerians were naturalised in the 2020 cycle, despite an 11-week COVID-19 lockdown disrupting oath ceremonies. The figure climbed to 10,921 in 2021 as backlogs cleared, peaked at 14,438 in 2022, and settled to 13,530 in 2023.
These 47,800+ Nigerian citizens accounted for roughly 1.4% of all African-born individuals naturalised in that period (341,884 total).
Notably, Nigeria ranked among the top African nations for naturalisations. Overall, African naturalisations surged by 43% from 2020 to 2023, leading global growth in that category.
