The Government of Canada has escalated its travel advisory for Nigeria, urging its citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to the country—including the capital, Abuja—due to an increasingly unpredictable security environment characterized by terrorism, violent crime, inter-communal clashes, armed attacks, and kidnappings.
The updated advisory, last revised on November 24, 2025, places Nigeria in the “Avoid Non-Essential Travel” category, reflecting heightened concerns over sustained instability across wide swaths of northern and central regions. This marks one of Canada’s most comprehensive reassessments of African travel risks, covering 17 countries issued between November 13 and 15, 2025, amid rising threats of extremist violence, banditry, and political volatility.
While the blanket warning applies nationwide, exceptions are made for the cities of Lagos and Calabar, where Canadians are advised to exercise a “high degree of caution” instead. However, even in these areas, risks remain elevated due to petty crime, traffic hazards, and sporadic unrest.
High-risk zones flagged in the advisory include:
- Northwestern states: Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara, plagued by banditry and kidnappings.
- Northcentral states: Plateau, Niger, and Kogi, affected by farmer-herder clashes and communal violence.
- Northeastern states: Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Taraba, and Yobe, where Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgencies persist.
- Niger Delta states: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt, where non-essential travel is still discouraged), due to oil-related militancy, kidnappings, and piracy.
- Border areas: Within 10 kilometers of borders with Cameroon, Niger, and northern Benin (between Benin and Kebbi states), owing to cross-border militant activity and smuggling.
Global Affairs Canada emphasizes that the security situation can deteriorate rapidly, with recent incidents including mass abductions of schoolchildren and attacks on religious sites underscoring the threats. “Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Nigeria. Attacks could occur at any time with no prior warning,” the advisory states, urging Canadians to monitor local media, register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service, and consider contingency plans.
The update aligns with broader continental concerns, where Nigeria joins countries like Ethiopia, Chad, and Mauritania in the non-essential travel avoidance list, while nations such as Sudan, Mali, and Somalia face “Avoid All Travel” designations. Canadian officials attribute the advisories to armed conflicts, unstable political transitions, and mass protests that endanger travelers.
Nigerian authorities have yet to issue an official response, but the advisory coincides with ongoing domestic efforts to bolster security, including military operations against insurgents and bandits. Travel experts recommend that Canadians already in Nigeria limit movements, avoid crowded areas, and maintain low profiles.
As global mobility rebounds post-pandemic, such warnings serve as stark reminders of Nigeria’s complex security landscape, balancing economic opportunities in Africa’s largest economy against persistent vulnerabilities.
