Where people born in Nigeria live today, country by country. Each country shows its newest figure: the host country's own official statistics where they are at least as recent as the United Nations estimate, and the UN estimate (1 July 2024) everywhere else.
Counts are for 1 July of each year shown. The jump after 2015 reflects both new migration and refugee movements into neighbouring countries.
The base layer is the UN Population Division's International Migrant Stock. It counts people living outside the country where they were born. Where a host country records citizenship instead of birthplace, the count is of Nigerian citizens.
National figures come from Eurostat (European countries, counted on 1 January), the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, and official figures added by hand for countries without a data feed. A national figure replaces the UN estimate only when it is at least as recent. Each country's source, year and basis are shown in its profile and in the table.
Nigeria has no complete official count of its citizens abroad. Nigerians living outside the country can register with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), whose registry is meant to build that record.
Open the NiDCOM Diaspora Registry
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). International Migrant Stock 2024. POP/DB/MIG/Stock/Rev.2024. CC BY 3.0 IGO.
Missions. Addresses, phone numbers, emails and websites of Nigeria's embassies, high commissions and consulates were compiled in October 2026 from the missions' own websites, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, host-country diplomatic lists and news reports. Where a detail could only be found in a commercial embassy directory, the entry says so. Always confirm with the mission before travelling or sending documents.
Heads of mission. The President approved the posting of 65 ambassadors and high commissioners on 6 March 2026. Each entry shows how far that has progressed: posted, in post, or credentials presented to the host head of state. Countries without a resident mission show the mission that covers them, where known.
Kept up to date. On the website, automated bots check Eurostat, the US Census Bureau, UNESCO, the World Bank and the UN every month, watch official pages for new figures, test every directory link and compare emergency numbers with UK travel advice. Nothing they find is published until a person has checked it, except figures read directly from official statistics services.
Students, money and communities. Student counts are UNESCO Institute for Statistics figures reported by host countries, with national figures for the UK, US and Canada. Remittance totals are World Bank data; amounts by sending country are World Bank/KNOMAD bilateral estimates for 2021; sending costs come from the World Bank's Remittance Prices Worldwide. City and heritage figures come from the US, UK, Canadian, Irish and Australian censuses and surveys. Emergency numbers are taken from UK and Australian government travel advice and the EU's 112 page.
Associations. Listed are national umbrella bodies, Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) chapters, and professional, student and community groups with a public web or social presence. A listing is not an endorsement, and some chapters have competing leadership groups. Contact details are each organisation's own.