The data highlighted a consistent increase in the number of Nigerian-born service members gaining US citizenship over the years. In 2020, 340 Nigerians were naturalized, a figure that rose steadily to 630 in 2021, 680 in 2022, 690 in 2023, and 930 in 2024.
Abuja, Nigeria – Nigeria has emerged as the fourth-highest-ranking country in the number of citizens granted US citizenship through military service between 2020 and 2024. During this period, over 52,000 military personnel were naturalized by the United States, with 3,270 of them being Nigerian-born.
According to data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Nigeria trailed only the Philippines (5,630), Jamaica (5,420), and Mexico (3,670) in the number of military service members naturalized. Together, these nations represented a significant portion of military naturalizations, with the top five countries of origin — the Philippines, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, and Ghana — accounting for over 38% of all naturalizations during the period.
Steady Growth in Numbers
The data highlighted a consistent increase in the number of Nigerian-born service members gaining U.S. citizenship over the years. In 2020, 340 Nigerians were naturalized, a figure that rose steadily to 630 in 2021, 680 in 2022, 690 in 2023, and 930 in 2024.
Branch Distribution
The majority of naturalizations occurred in the U.S. Army, which accounted for 60% of all military service members naturalized during this period. This was followed by the Navy (20.4%), Air Force (10.6%), and Marine Corps (6.6%). Less than 1% of naturalized service members were from the Coast Guard.
Demographics
The report also revealed insights into the demographics of naturalized military personnel:
- Age: Half of the naturalized service members were between 22 and 30 years old, with a median age of 27. More than 17% were aged 21 and below, while nearly 5% were over 40.
- Gender: Men constituted 73% of the naturalized service members, although the proportion of women showed a slight increase over the years.
Global Context
In addition to Nigeria, other countries like Haiti, China, Cameroon, Vietnam, and South Korea ranked prominently in military naturalizations, contributing an additional 16% to the total from 2020 to 2024.
The steady increase in Nigerian representation in U.S. military naturalizations underscores the growing role of Nigerians in the U.S. armed forces, further solidifying the nation’s contribution to global military service.
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