Canada Warns Citizens to Avoid 24 Nigerian States in Updated Travel Advisory
- The Canadian government updated its Nigeria travel advisory on October 21, 2026, urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the country
- Canada placed 24 Nigerian states under its strictest 'avoid all travel' designation, citing terrorism, kidnapping, and armed attacks
- Lagos and Calabar received a separate 'high degree of caution' rating, with crime listed as the primary concern in both cities
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Canada has issued a stark warning to its citizens about travelling to Nigeria, placing 24 states under its most severe travel classification in an advisory updated on 21 October 2026.
Source: UGC
The Canadian government cited an unpredictable security environment across Nigeria as the basis for the warning, pointing to supposed threats including terrorism, kidnapping, inter-communal violence, armed attacks, and crime.
The warning covers the entire country, including the federal capital, Abuja, though a handful of cities were assessed under slightly different categories.
24 Nigerian States Canadians must avoid
Canada placed the following states under its strictest "avoid all travel" designation:
Northwestern states:
1. Kaduna
2. Kano
3. Katsina
4. Sokoto
5. Zamfara
Northcentral states:
6. Plateau
7. Niger
8. Kwara
9. Kogi
Northeastern states:
10. Adamawa
11. Bauchi
12. Borno
13. Gombe
14. Jigawa
15. Taraba
16. Yobe
Niger Delta states:
17. Abia
18. Akwa Ibom
19. Anambra
20. Bayelsa
21. Delta
22. Enugu
23. Imo
24. Rivers (except Port Harcourt city)
The advisory also flags a 10-kilometre border zone along Nigeria's frontiers with Cameroon, Niger, and the northern stretch of Benin, between Benin and Kebbi State.
Advisory about Lagos, Calabar, and Port Harcourt
Canada drew a distinction between the 24 states listed above and two major cities: Lagos and Calabar.
Neither city falls under the "avoid all travel" or "avoid non-essential travel" classifications that apply to the rest of Nigeria.
Instead, both were placed in a "high degree of caution" category, with crime identified as the chief concern.
Port Harcourt occupies a middle ground in the advisory. While Rivers State as a whole sits under the "avoid all travel" designation, Port Harcourt city itself was assessed separately and carries the less severe "avoid non-essential travel" rating.
The updated advisory reflects Canada's ongoing assessment of security conditions in Nigeria and serves as a formal guide for Canadian nationals planning to visit or currently residing in the country.
Canada announces fast-track Permanent Residency route
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported earlier that Canada's immigration authority had announced significant changes to the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System, which were set to take effect on 3 November 2026.
The updated system was designed to award additional CRS points to foreign workers with eligible Canadian work experience or a qualifying high-wage job offer.
Candidates already in the Express Entry pool were expected to have their scores automatically recalculated, though some were required to update their profiles before the deadline.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
