Nigeria ranks among the top 20 countries globally in the number of citizens receiving United States permanent residency visas, also known as green cards.
According to a BusinessDay report citing 2022 data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 12,385 Nigerians were granted PR status during the review period.
Mexico and India led the rankings with a combined total of 265,784 new permanent residents, making up 26% of the global total. In total, 1,018,349 immigrants worldwide were granted PR status, with 82,117 of these being from Africa.
The breakdown for Nigerians showed that:
- 7,529 were immediate relatives of U.S. citizens
- 818 received family-sponsored preference visas
- 3,213 obtained employment-based preferences
- 14 were granted through diversity programs
- 797 were refugees or asylees
- 14 were admitted under other categories.
Nigeria also saw an increase in asylum seekers, with 259 individuals granted asylum in 2022, compared to 61 in 2013. Additionally, the number of Nigerians who became naturalized U.S. citizens rose from 9,545 in 2013 to 14,438 in 2022.
This surge in emigration is part of the broader ‘Japa syndrome,’ where many Nigerians, particularly youths, seek opportunities abroad.
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