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14 African nations affected as the US expands temporary visa restrictions to include Nigeria
  • Africa is the hardest-hit region, with 14 countries under partial visa restrictions, including Nigeria, limiting travel for business, tourism, and study.
  • Temporary bans target B‑1/B‑2 visas for business and tourism, and may also affect F‑1 student, M‑1 vocational, and J exchange visitor visas, impacting students, trainees, and cultural exchange participants.
  • Other affected regions include the Caribbean, Asia, and South America, showing the temporary restrictions span multiple continents.
  • Exemptions exist for lawful permanent residents, diplomats, and travellers with valid pre-existing visas, so not all citizens from these countries are blocked from entering the US.
 

Ghanaian naturalisations in Canada drop 25% in H1 2025 after reaching a peak in H1 2024
  • Naturalisations rose consistently from 577 in H1 2022 to 717 in H1 2024, marking a 24% rise over two years.
  • The 11.5% increase recorded that period was the strongest half-year growth across the timeline.
  • Numbers fell 25.5% in H1 2025, the steepest half-on-half drop since tracking began.
  • Despite the recent fall, total naturalisations remain above early 2022 levels, signalling sustained long-term growth.

New Canadian citizens from Egypt fell by 55%, from 2,557 in H1 2022 to 1,158 in H1 2025
  • The number of new Canadian citizens born in Egypt fell 9.8% in H1 2025, reaching 1,158, down from 1,284 in late 2024.
  • The steepest half-on-half fall came in H2 2024 (-37.3%), signalling the start of a more sustained slowdown.
  • Compared with the 2022 peak of 2,566, current levels are down 55%, marking a continuous decline since mid-2022.
  • Despite the multi-year decline, the smaller 9.8% decrease in H1 2025 suggests the rate of decline may be easing.

From 1,514 to 832, South African origin citizenship approvals fall 45% since 2024 peak
  • H1 2025 recorded 832 new Canadian citizens of South African origin, down 23.7% from H2 2024 (1,091).
  • The first half of 2024 marked the highest level of approvals (1,514) in the past four years.
  • H1 2025 is 24% below H1 2022’s 1,089, the second lowest number in the period.
  • The data shows average half-on-half change of ±19%, reflecting strong fluctuations in migration and processing patterns.

New Canadian citizens of Algerian origin drop by 82% from H2 2023 to H1 2025
  • Algeria’s naturalisation figures in Canada showed major volatility, swinging between sharp increases and declines across half-year periods.
  • The number of new citizens peaked at 3,429 in H2 2023, representing a 69.1% surge from the preceding half year.
  • Following the 2023 peak, figures fell by 18.8% in H1 2024 and another 8.3% in H1 2025, showing a sustained downward correction.
  • Between H1 2022 (2,559) and H1 2025 (1,831), naturalisations dropped by roughly 28%, suggesting reduced inflow or slower application approvals among Algerian residents.

An average of 6,960 Nigerians became Canadian citizens each Half-Year between 2022 and 2025
  • Nigerian naturalisations in Canada rose from 5,286 in H1 2022 to 6,831 in H1 2025, a 29% increase overall.
  • H1 2023 marked the highest level with 7,400 new citizens.
  • Numbers declined through 2024, bottoming at 6,057 in H2.
  • The rebound in H1 2025 signals sustained interest in Canadian citizenship among Nigerians.

Over 26,000 Africans became Canadian citizens in H1 2025; one in four of these are Nigerians
  • Nigeria accounts for 25.9% of all new Canadian citizens of African origin, more than triple any other African country.
  • Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia rank next, each contributing over 5% of total new citizens of African origin.
  • Countries like Eritrea, Ethiopia, and DR Congo show steady growth, reflecting widening migration links with Canada.
  • South Africa closes the top ten with 832 citizens (3.2%), indicating smaller but consistent migration flows.

4.5% of new Canadian citizens in H1 2025 were Nigerians; almost one in four were Indians
  • India accounts for 23.4% of all new citizens, the largest share by far.
  • Four of the top five source countries (India, Philippines, Iran, China) are in Asia, showing the region’s migration strength.
  • Nigeria ranks third, contributing 4.5% of total new citizens, the highest share from Africa.
  • Traditional migration partners like the U.K. and U.S.A. contribute smaller shares, under 3% each, highlighting a shifting global migration pattern.

Nearly 2.8 million African-born immigrants live in the US as of 2023, led by Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Egypt
  • In 2023, the total number of African-born immigrants in the US was about 2.79 million.
  • Western Africa is the largest source region, contributing 1.08 million immigrants (39%), led by Nigeria (476k).
  • Eastern Africa is the second-largest source (28%), dominated by Ethiopia (278.2k).
  • Northern Africa accounts for 17%, mainly from Egypt (225.7k).
  • Central Africa contributes 8%, with Cameroon (90.7k) as the top country.
  • Southern Africa is smaller at 5%, almost entirely from South Africa (133.4k).
  • Five countries—Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Cameroon, and South Africa—together make up nearly half of all African-born immigrants in the US.

South Africa leads Africa in travel and tourism competitiveness, ranking 55th worldwide
  • South Africa leads Africa on the 2024 Global Travel & Tourism Index, ranking 55th worldwide with a TTI score of 3.99.
  • Mauritius and Egypt follow closely, placing 57th and 61st globally, both scoring just below 4.0, showing strong competitiveness.
  • North Africa dominates the list, with Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia all making the top 10, highlighting the region’s strategic tourism appeal.
  • Rwanda and Namibia stand out despite being ranked lower globally (93rd and 95th), reflecting progress in tourism development in smaller economies.

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