Approximately 52,000 Nigerians migrated to the United Kingdom in 2024, according to newly released data from the United Kingdom (UK) Office for National Statistics on Thursday, placing Nigeria among the top sources of non-EU+ migration during the year.

The influx came despite a significant decline in overall net migration to the UK, which dropped by nearly “50 percent in the year ending December 2024.”

The ONS estimates net migration at “431,000, down from 860,000 in the previous year.”

Most Nigerian migrants arrived in the UK for work or study purposes. Of the total, 27,000 came on work-related visas, 22,000 on study visas, and the remaining 3,000 under other immigration categories.

Nigeria joins India, Pakistan, and China as one of the leading contributors to non-EU+ migration to the UK.

“For the year ending December 2024, Indian nationals were the most common non-EU+ immigrants.

“Work and study-related immigration were the primary reasons for migration among Indian, Pakistani, and Nigerian nationals,” the ONS report stated.

The report also highlighted that 83 percent of non-EU+ migrants were of working age (16–64 years), with 52 percent being male and 48 percent female.

Children under 16 made up 16 percent of migrants, while only one percent were over the age of 65.

While immigration from countries such as Nigeria remained notable, the overall decline in migration was attributed to fewer arrivals on work and study visas, especially from non-EU+ countries, and increased emigration.

Many individuals who arrived during or after the COVID-19 pandemic have now returned home, particularly those on study visas.

Work-related immigration among main applicants saw the largest numerical fall, down by 108,000 — a 49 percent year-on-year decrease.

Study-related immigration also dropped by 17 percent, while the number of study dependents decreased by 86 percent, representing the steepest decline. (The PUNCH)