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Country profile

Nigerian nationals in Japan

Total residents (2025)
4,807
Total Population of Nigeria: ~230 million
Growth (past 10 years)
+82.2%
2,638 in 2015 → 4,807 in 2025

Top visa types (2025)

Permanent resident
1,698
Family stay
562
Spouse of Japanese
512
Engineer / Humanities
476
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The Average Nigerian Migrant

Male profile

The average Nigerian male in Japan is a permanent resident in his late fifties, living in Saitama.

Modal age55–59
Top visaPermanent resident (42.5%)
2nd visaSpouse of Japanese (13.8%)
Population3,637 (75.7%)
Female profile

The average Nigerian female in Japan is a dependent family member in her early thirties, living in Saitama.

Modal age30–34
Top visaFamily stay (27.4%)
2nd visaPermanent resident (13.0%)
Population1,170 (24.3%)

Population over time

Total Nigerian residents

Annual figures, 2006–2025 — hover the line for details
01,0002,0003,0004,0005,00020062010201520202025
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2024
Permanent resident Engineer / Humanities Spouse of Japanese Instructor Student Others

Visa Types

What do these visa types mean? →

Status of residence (2025)

Current snapshot
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 Permanent resident Permanent resident: 1,698 1,698 Family stay / Dependent Family stay / Dependent: 562 562 Spouse of Japanese Spouse of Japanese: 512 512 Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services: 476 476 Student Student: 450 450 Long-term resident Long-term resident: 263 263 Designated activities Designated activities: 256 256 Spouse of PR Spouse of PR: 224 224 Instructor Instructor: 223 223 Religion Religion: 25 25 Professor Professor: 25 25 Business manager Business manager: 23 23
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 Permanent resident Permanent resident 2015: 1,485 Permanent resident 2025: 1,698 1,485 1,698 (2025) Family stay / Dependent Family stay / Dependent 2015: 94 Family stay / Dependent 2025: 562 94 562 (2025) Spouse of Japanese Spouse of Japanese 2015: 451 Spouse of Japanese 2025: 512 451 512 (2025) Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services 2015: 39 Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services 2025: 476 39 476 (2025) Student Student 2015: 136 Student 2025: 450 136 450 (2025) Long-term resident Long-term resident 2015: 94 Long-term resident 2025: 263 94 263 (2025) Designated activities Designated activities 2015: 193 Designated activities 2025: 256 193 256 (2025) Spouse of PR Spouse of PR 2015: 65 Spouse of PR 2025: 224 65 224 (2025) Instructor Instructor 2015: 13 Instructor 2025: 223 13 223 (2025) Religion Religion 2015: 17 Religion 2025: 25 17 25 (2025)
Where Nigeria is heavier than rest of world Where Nigeria is lighter (or absent) Permanent resident Nigerian: 35.3% 35.3% Rest of world: 22.9% 22.9% Family stay / Dependent Nigerian: 11.7% 11.7% Rest of world: 8.6% 8.6% Spouse of Japanese Nigerian: 10.7% 10.7% Rest of world: 3.7% 3.7% Designated activities Nigerian: 5.3% 5.3% Rest of world: 3.0% 3.0% Spouse of PR Nigerian: 4.7% 4.7% Rest of world: 1.4% 1.4% Instructor Nigerian: 4.6% 4.6% Rest of world: 0.4% 0.4% Religion Nigerian: 0.5% 0.5% Rest of world: 0.1% 0.1% Professor Nigerian: 0.5% 0.5% Rest of world: 0.2% 0.2% Entertainer Nigerian: 0.4% 0.4% Rest of world: 0.1% 0.1% Cultural activities Nigerian: 0.3% 0.3% Rest of world: 0.1% 0.1% Specified Skilled Worker Nigerian: 0.1% 0.1% Rest of world: 9.5% 9.5% Special Permanent resident Nigerian: 0.2% 0.2% Rest of world: 6.5% 6.5% Student Nigerian: 9.4% 9.4% Rest of world: 11.3% 11.3% Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services Nigerian: 9.9% 9.9% Rest of world: 11.5% 11.5% Business manager Nigerian: 0.5% 0.5% Rest of world: 1.1% 1.1% High-skilled professional Nigerian: 0.3% 0.3% Rest of world: 0.8% 0.8% Long-term resident Nigerian: 5.5% 5.5% Rest of world: 5.5% 5.5%

Demographics

Age distribution

All Nigerian residents — five-year age brackets, December 2025
0 200 400 600 0–4: 248 248 0–4 5–9: 237 237 5–9 10–14: 130 130 10–14 15–19: 198 198 15–19 20–24: 126 126 20–24 25–29: 322 322 25–29 30–34: 529 529 30–34 35–39: 563 563 35–39 40–44: 495 495 40–44 45–49: 472 472 45–49 50–54: 515 515 50–54 55–59: 574 574 55–59 60–64: 280 280 60–64 65–69: 102 102 65–69 70–74: 14 14 70–74 75–79: 2 2 75–79 80+: 0 0 80+
MALE 男性 FEMALE 女性 0–4 117 131 5–9 125 112 10–14 62 68 15–19 116 82 20–24 83 43 25–29 183 139 30–34 321 208 35–39 413 150 40–44 391 104 45–49 406 66 50–54 477 38 55–59 555 19 60–64 276 4 65–69 99 3 70–74 12 2 75–79 1 1 80+ 0 0

Gender split

December 2025
Male: 3,637 (75.7%) Female: 1,170 (24.3%) 4,807 total
Male
3,637 (75.7%)
Female
1,170 (24.3%)

The Nigerian community leans male (76%) and is deeply rooted: permanent residency is by far the top status (35%), followed by family and spouse visas — a community that came to stay.

Family stay / Dependent: 320 (27.4%) Permanent resident: 152 (13.0%) Spouse of PR: 147 (12.6%) Student: 140 (12.0%) Instructor: 126 (10.8%) Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services: 110 (9.4%) Long-term resident: 87 (7.4%) Designated activities: 56 (4.8%) Spouse of Japanese: 10 (0.9%) High-skilled professional: 4 (0.3%) Cultural activities: 4 (0.3%) Special Permanent resident: 3 (0.3%) Professor: 3 (0.3%) Other: 8 (0.7%) Total female 1,170
1,170 female Nigerian residents — by status of residence
Family stay / Dependent320
Permanent resident152
Spouse of PR147
Student140
Instructor126
Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services110
Long-term resident87
Designated activities56
Spouse of Japanese10
High-skilled professional4
Cultural activities4
Special Permanent resident3
Professor3
Other8
Permanent resident: 1,546 (42.5%) Spouse of Japanese: 502 (13.8%) Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services: 366 (10.1%) Student: 310 (8.5%) Family stay / Dependent: 242 (6.7%) Designated activities: 200 (5.5%) Long-term resident: 176 (4.8%) Instructor: 97 (2.7%) Spouse of PR: 77 (2.1%) Business manager: 23 (0.6%) Religion: 23 (0.6%) Professor: 22 (0.6%) Entertainer: 18 (0.5%) Other: 35 (1.0%) Total male 3,637
3,637 male Nigerian residents — by status of residence
Permanent resident1,546
Spouse of Japanese502
Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services366
Student310
Family stay / Dependent242
Designated activities200
Long-term resident176
Instructor97
Spouse of PR77
Business manager23
Religion23
Professor22
Entertainer18
Other35
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 2010 2015 2020 2025 Female 1,170 Male 3,637

Where they live (2025)

By region — heat map

Hover or tap a region to see its breakdown.
Hokkaido Hokkaido 723 723 Tohoku Tohoku 518 518 Kanto Kanto 2,621 2,621 Chubu Chubu 1,926 1,926 Kansai Kansai 3,189 3,189 Chugoku Chugoku 487 487 Shikoku Shikoku 245 245 Kyushu Kyushu 1,158 1,158
Fewer
More
Selected region
Kanto
11,830
57.6% of Japan total
Top Visa Categories
Prefectures
Tokyo
7,596
Kanagawa
1,948
Chiba
1,018
Saitama
763
Ibaraki
231
Tochigi
138
Gunma
136

Highest and Lowest Prefectures

2025 Resident Counts
Top 10
Saitama
Kanto
856
Tokyo
Kanto
791
Kanagawa
Kanto
682
Chiba
Kanto
486
Aichi
Chubu
317
Osaka
Kansai
277
Ibaraki
Kanto
155
Hyogo
Kansai
155
Fukuoka
Kyushu
133
Hokkaido
Hokkaido
70
Bottom 10
Akita
Tohoku
1
Shimane
Chugoku
2
Aomori
Tohoku
4
Iwate
Tohoku
5
Fukui
Chubu
5
Kochi
Shikoku
5
Toyama
Chubu
5
Wakayama
Kansai
7
Tokushima
Shikoku
9
Kagoshima
Kyushu
10

Prefecture Growth, 2015 to 2025

Absolute change in Nigerian residents over the past decade
Largest increase
Saitama
Kanto
+384
Tokyo
Kanto
+251
Kanagawa
Kanto
+234
Chiba
Kanto
+212
Aichi
Chubu
+133
Largest decrease
Shimane
Chugoku
-3
Mie
Kansai
+0
Akita
Tohoku
+1
Iwate
Tohoku
+3
Aomori
Tohoku
+3
0 250 500 750 1,000 2010 2015 2020 2025 Saitama Tokyo Kanagawa Chiba Aichi Osaka Ibaraki Hyogo

Fun Fact

Nigeria is Africa's largest community in Japan — 4,807 people, nearly double a decade ago — centred not on central Tokyo but on Saitama, with long-established businesses from trading to entertainment.
Interested to know more about migration numbers in Japan?
Explore Overview →Immigration statistics for the whole of Japan — 4.13 million foreign residentsAll Nationalities/Regions →This page is one of 67 — explore every major community in Japan
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