The Canadian government has issued a significant travel advisory, placing Nigeria and sixteen other African nations on its high-risk list due to escalating security concerns across the continent.
Widespread Travel Restrictions Across Africa
In one of its most comprehensive travel risk updates in recent years, Canada has advised its citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Nigeria, including the capital city of Abuja. The advisory, released on November 26, 2025, cites an increasingly unpredictable security environment characterized by terrorism, violent crimes, armed attacks, and kidnappings.
Canadian officials identified what they describe as a perfect storm of threats affecting the region. These include expanding extremist networks in the Sahel and Horn of Africa, a wave of military coups, communal clashes, mass protests, cross-border criminal activities, and fragile governance systems that leave many states struggling to maintain stability.
Countries on Canada's Avoid Travel Lists
The Canadian advisory categorizes countries into two distinct risk levels. The Avoid All Travel list includes some of Africa's most volatile nations: South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, and Sudan.
The Avoid Non-Essential Travel category includes Madagascar, Ethiopia, Burundi, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Mauritania, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
Specific Security Concerns in Nigeria
While the entire country of Nigeria faces elevated risks according to the Canadian assessment, certain regions are considered particularly dangerous. The advisory highlights that wide swaths of northern and central Nigeria are experiencing sustained instability driven by extremist violence, banditry, and inter-communal clashes.
The Canadian government specifically names multiple states as high-risk areas. In the northwest, these include Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara. The northcentral states of Plateau, Niger, and Kogi are also flagged, along with much of the northeast including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Taraba, and Yobe.
The Niger Delta region remains volatile according to the advisory. Canada recommends avoiding all travel to Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers states. While not implementing a complete ban on Port Harcourt, the government strongly advises against non-essential trips to the city.
Limited Exceptions to Travel Warnings
The advisory does provide some limited exceptions within Nigeria. The cities of Lagos and Calabar are not subject to the same level of restriction, though travelers are still advised to exercise a high degree of caution when visiting these areas.
Canada's updated advisory places Nigeria among the most high-risk destinations worldwide for Canadian citizens. The government urges anyone currently in the country to remain extremely vigilant, limit their movement, and closely monitor local media for developing security threats.
This comprehensive travel warning represents Canada's growing concern about security conditions across multiple African nations, with Nigeria featuring prominently due to its complex security challenges affecting numerous regions.
