Nigerian Dreams Realized: 34,000 Earn U.S. Citizenship in Just Three Years!

A fresh wave of Nigerian success in America has emerged, as reports affirm that 34,000 Nigerians obtained U.S. citizenship during the last three years. The historic achievement highlights the increasing clout and integration of the Nigerian diaspora in America.

 

Highlights:

 

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that 3,270 Nigerians were naturalized American citizens just by serving in the military between 2020 and 2024, placing Nigeria as the fourth-highest country for military naturalizations after the Philippines, Jamaica, and Mexico.

 

The number of Nigerian servicemen acquiring citizenship has grown consistently: 340 in 2020, 630 in 2021, 680 in 2022, 690 in 2023, and 930 in 2024.

 

Nigerians constitute a high percentage of the foreign-born U.S. population, and their rate of naturalization (52%) is higher than the rate for the overall foreign-born population (44%), indicating keen interest in integration into U.S. society.

 

Nigerian expats in the U.S. are known to be highly educated and career-oriented, and most opt for citizenship just after they become eligible.

 

The Army is the leader in the number of Nigerian military naturalizations, followed by the Navy and Air Force, which shows the community's service and commitment.

 

This increasing trend of citizenship attainment indicates both the ambition of Nigerians overseas and the deepening relationship between Nigeria and the United States.

 

Sources: Punch, Vanguard, Migration Policy Institute