Japa Chronicles: 10 countries Nigerians call (second) home
Where Nigerians are blazing Trails abroad and Writing Global Nigerian Stories
- The United States America, where ambition meets opportunities
Nigerians in America. More than 500,000 Nigerians are living in America, making it the home of one of the largest Nigerian populations outside of Nigeria. Big cities such as Texas (particularly Houston), Maryland, New York, and Georgia are full of Nigerian churches, Afrobeat bars, and places that sell pepper soup and suya.
Nigerians, in this case, are here and are not just making waves. The Nigerian dream in America can be heard in Ivy League universities, where professors are Nigerian, or in Silicon Valley, where entrepreneurs who have founded technology companies are Nigerian.
- Canada: Cold weather cannot deter the Naija spirit
It can even snow half of the year, but that has not deterred more than 100,000 Nigerians who now call Canada their (second) home. Toronto, Calgary, and Winnipeg, among others, are now common places people go looking to get a job, learning, and a place to call home.
With very welcoming immigration regulations and a good healthcare system, Canada is where families with Nigerian origins feel like restarting their lives.
- United Kingdom: Old Bonds help start new beginnings
The United Kingdom and Nigeria have a rich history, and presently, there are more than 250,000 Nigerians who still maintain a connection. From London to Birmingham, the Nigerian community in Britain is flourishing: the fashion shows, jollof rice festivals, among many others.
Nigerians in the UK have transformed the idea of what it means to be Black British, by either getting a law degree at Oxford or operating a company in Peckham.
- Italy: Land of hustle and heart
In spite of migration issues, Italy has embraced nearly 80,000 Nigerians, particularly in Rome, Milan, and Turin. In this case, a considerable number of Nigerians are engaged in the service sector, small-scale businesses, as well as creating support networks in churches and hometown associations.
Not everyone finds it easy all the time, but, as usual, Nigerians manage to do it with flair.
- Germany: Cuts to the precision revisited
Germany is rapidly turning out to be a favourite destination, particularly among students and skilled employees, as it already plays host to more than 50,000 Nigerians. Berlin, Frankfurt, and Hamburg are some of the cities in which Nigerians are studying, coding, teaching, and, of course, throwing some of the best owambes in Europe.
- Spain: Trade, business, and community
More than 40,000 Nigerians reside in Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, and they are usually attracted by trade and entrepreneurship opportunities. The name that Spanish Nigerians already have is a colourful marketplace, emerging churches, and a great feeling of community.
- France: Where sophistication is home
France is home to over 30,000 Nigerians, mostly in Paris, which means students, professionals, and entrepreneurs have a mixture of culture and career awaiting them in France. The Nigerians have less to say here, but they are in force. Ruminations: intellectual salons, Afrobeat nights, and booming beauty businesses.
- Netherlands: Dreaming big in a small country
The 25,000+ Nigerians in Amsterdam and Rotterdam are forging their niche in the land of a people who are open-minded and innovative. It is not only the Nigerian in the Netherlands who have survived but flourished in the world of tech startups, logistics, and more.
- United Arab Emirates: The new frontier
Nigerians in Dubai and Abu Dhabi cannot be ignored. More than 50,000 Nigerians currently reside in the UAE as tech workers, traders, fashion, and luxury items experts. To most young Nigerians, Dubai is fast, glitzy, and boundless.
- South Africa: Home in Africa
Much closer and plentiful in opportunity is South Africa, which is now a popular destination for more than 100,000 and counting. Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town are the destinations that attract students, business people, and artists.
Nevertheless, irrespective of the tension that exists in certain regions, many Nigerians here are bridging and creating networks, and growing the influence of pan-Africa.
Whether it is the pursuit of a master’s degree in Montreal or the creation of a beauty empire in Paris, Nigerians in the Diaspora are proving that home is not where one is born, but home is where one gets elevated. With the world continuing to look on, it is a given that Naija no dey carry last, no matter the continent.
