Countries, Cities Nigerians Love To Live Abroad

According to the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), about 17 million Nigerians currently live abroad. Although most of these Nigerians could be found in the United Kingdom and the United States of America, a significant number can also be found in other countries.

 THE WHISTLER brings you a list of countries and cities where Nigerians could be found in large numbers and why. The countries include the UK, USA, Canada, India, China, United Arab Emirate (UAE) and South Africa, although Nigerians can be found in almost all parts of the world.

INDIA

 Nigerians seeking economic opportunities are said to be concentrated largely in the city of Goa, a highly industrialized city blessed with tourist attraction and cultural diversity.

Goa is India’s smallest state but has the highest GDP per capita among all Indian states, two and a half times that of the country. It was ranked the best-placed state by the Eleventh Finance Commission for its infrastructure and ranked on top for the best quality of life in India by the National Commission on Population.

Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year for its white sand beaches, nightlife, places of worship and World Heritage-listed architecture.

Other places where Nigerians reside in India are New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur. Most of Nigerians who live in these cities are either students or ex-students. 

CHINA

In China, the city of Guangzhou is where most Nigerians are concentrated and its the capital of Guangdong Province. It is the third largest city in China after Beijing and Shanghai with a population of more than 12 million. The city has been a springboard for trading and cultural exchanges.

Guangzhou accommodates countless huge markets specializing in almost any made-in-china products, including Chinese tea, herbs, garments, watches, electronics and toys. Guangzhou also has the country’s largest number of restaurants per capita.

Nigerians are also the largest African population in China.

CANADA 

Many Nigerians live in Canada, and they reside mainly in Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg.

Calgary is Alberta’s most populous city, with a metropolitan population of 1.2 million, and is a three-hour drive from Canada’s border with the United States. Alberta has the lion’s share of Canada’s oil industry. Its reserves – in the form of oil-sands – are estimated to be second only to Saudi Arabia’s.

It is one of Canada’s wealthiest cities.

Edmonton is the capital of Alberta and known as the Oil Capital of Canada. It is also home West Edmonton Mall, the largest shopping mall in North America. It is a cultural, governmental and educational city.

Winnipeg is the capital of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Although lacking natural resources, it thrives on a diversified economy, sustaining itself from trade and commerce.

Winnipeg’s economy is one of the most diversified of any major Canadian city. The biggest employer is government. As the capital of Manitoba, 14 per cent of Winnipeg’s workforce is in the public sector. Aerospace also has a large presence, thanks to a Boeing Canada facility that employs 1,500. In total, Winnipeg’s aerospace companies generate $1.6 billion worth of economic activity per year.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

In the United States of America, the largest number of Nigerian immigrants live in Houston, Maryland, New York, and Washington DC. 

Houston is the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth largest in the U.S. Houston has a diverse and strong economy largely reliant on health care, social insurance, construction and retail trade industries. The highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas Extraction, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Management of Companies & Enterprises.

Maryland has a highly developed defense sector and is the headquarters of the NSA, DISA, and other important defense and aerospace organizations. Maryland is also a major shipping center for U.S. business and industry; the ports also contribute to Maryland’s sizable fishing economy. Maryland has the highest per capita income in the U.S., and the highest percentage of millionaires.

New York is famously congested and the most international city in the US. It is ethno-religiously diverse, commercially driven, and arguably the most attractive urban centre in the country

Washington DC is a federal city that reveals the financial might, intellectual and administrative prowess of the US.

 UNITED KINGDOM 

In the United Kingdom, Nigerians have formed long-established communities in London, Liverpool, Southampton and other industrial cities.

London is a city that is renowned for its business links, economic and career activities, and high standard of living.  It is also one of the biggest sporting centres in the world. 

Liverpool, which is among the most populous urban area in the UK, is noted for its culture, architecture, arts and tourist centres. It also runs a unified transport network.

Southampton is one of the bubbling cities in the southern part of England. Significant enough, the city enjoys so much trading activity as there are a lot of shops there. It’s also a marine area.

 UNITED ARAB EMIRATE

Dubai is the major city where you find Nigerians in large numbers. Many Nigerians live and work there mainly for economic reasons.  The United Arab Emirate City plays host to a lot of people because of the vast economic and tourist opportunities therein.

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa is another big destination for Nigerians. South Africa is the most developed economy in Africa and naturally attracts fellow African nationals seeking greener pastures. 

In 2011, it joined the BRIC countries in an economic pact formed to challenge the domination of Western economic policy. Though the issue of xenophobia has threatened relations, Nigerians are still found in large numbers in the country especially in Johannesburg, cape town, Hill brow and Pretoria. 

The city of Johannesburg is located in the mineral-rich Witwatersrand range of hills and is the centre of large-scale gold and diamond trade. Hill brow is also an inner-city residential area of Joburg, noted for high rate of unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. 

Cape Town is one of the nation’s most important industrial centres with a major seaport. It has a lot of department stores and supermarkets. 

Pretoria is the administrative capital and it is highly engaged in academic and commercial activity.