- The Canadian government updated its Nigeria travel advisory on October 21, 2026, citing terrorism, kidnapping, and crime across the country
- Canada listed 24 Nigerian states under its 'avoid all travel' warning, covering the northwest, northeast, northcentral, and Niger Delta regions
- Calabar and Lagos were excluded from the strictest warning but still carry a high-caution designation due to crime
The Canadian government has updated its official travel advisory for Nigeria, warning its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the country and naming 24 states where it says the risk is severe enough to recommend staying away entirely.
The advisory, updated on October 21, 2026, cites an unpredictable security situation marked by terrorism, crime, inter-communal clashes, armed attacks, and kidnappings as the basis for the warning.
Source: Getty Images
The guidance covers all of Nigeria, including the capital, Abuja, with two cities — Calabar and Lagos — carved out under a separate, slightly lower-risk category.
Nigerian states Canadians are told to 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, which carries a non-essential travel warning).
Border areas:
A 10-kilometre zone along the borders with Cameroon, Niger, and northern Benin (between Benin and Kebbi State).
The reasons given vary slightly by region but consistently include threats from terrorism, armed attacks, kidnapping, and sectarian or inter-communal violence.
Canada: What the advisory says about Lagos and Calabar
Canada did not place Lagos or Calabar under the "avoid all travel" or "avoid non-essential travel" warnings that apply to the rest of Nigeria. Instead, both cities were placed under a "high degree of caution" designation, with the advisory pointing to crime as the primary concern in those areas.
Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, sits in a middle category: while the surrounding state falls under "avoid all travel," the city itself carries the less severe "avoid non-essential travel" rating.
Legit.ng reported that the US had listed three West African countries that its citizens should avoid travelling to.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the US had listed 11 African countries its citizens should not travel to.
Canada announces new visa processing time
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Canada had released a new processing time for visa applicants.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released updated figures on September 16, 2026, reflecting increases across key application categories for Nigerian applicants compared with the previous week.
The most notable changes affected study permits and super visas.
Source: Legit.ng