The Nigerian experience is physical, emotional, and sometimes international. No one knows it better than our features on #TheAbroadLife, a series where we detail and explore Nigerian experiences while living abroad.
They say that Nigerians are everywhere, and our 2025 Abroad Life stories proved it: Every Friday, we brought you incredible stories of Nigerians in over 20 countries across six continents; stories of adventures and life outside of Nigeria’s shores.
But not all “abroad” experiences are equal. We’ve put together a list of the most featured countries from the past year based on what our subjects had to say about their homes away from home.
Here are the best countries for Nigerian immigrants, according to our 2025 Abroad Life subjects.
Germany
Average Rating: 5.5/10
Germans have a reputation for being stoic and efficient, and while we try to avoid leaning into stereotypes, our 2025 stories largely upheld the image. Our subjects described a country defined by a super-efficient transport system, high-quality healthcare, and a bureaucracy that is obsessed with physical mail but is generally fair.
Perhaps the biggest draw we heard about was the free public university education, which also applies to international students. So Germany is quite the affordable option. However, the German way isn’t for everyone. Two women, Ella and Bimpe, told us of their struggles making local connections and the loneliness that often follows. Bimpe (41) specifically felt the sting of racial discrimination, leading her to conclude that it wasn’t the right environment to raise her daughter.
Ella (21) has already moved back to Nigeria, and Bimpe, who gave Germany a 2/10 rating, is currently planning the same for her family.
But Ayodeji (33), who gave Germany a 9/10 rating, offered a different perspective. He believes the secret to thriving in Germany is being intentional about putting yourself out there. According to him, Germans won’t take the first step, so if you want a friend, you have to be the one to approach them.
By being proactive and also building his own Nigerian community, he managed to find the “home” others struggled to see.
Check out some of our favourite Abroad Life stories from Germany: You can read Ella’s story, Bimpe’s story, or Ayodeji’s story.
France
Average Rating: 6.8/10
France was a bit of a mixed bag for our 2025 subjects. On one hand, they praised its world-class education system and social safety nets. On the other hand, the culture shocks felt less like a nudge and more like heavyweight punches to the face.
Phoebe (28) was almost kicked out of the country when she realised, only after arriving, that her scholarship didn’t actually cover her tuition. Despite that rocky start, she praised the French government for covering a significant chunk of her health insurance, half of her rent, and even providing free weekly groceries.
Mide was just thankful France gave her the opportunity to actually use her French degree for something other than teaching in a Nigerian secondary school. However, she found many people to be unpleasant and quick to remind you of your immigrant status, regardless of how long you’ve lived in the country.
We also heard about the “fake smiles” on public transport and a very rigid attitude toward money. Don’t expect a French person to pick up the tab just because they’re “hosting” you.
Check out some of our favourite Abroad Life stories from France: You can read Mide’s story or Phoebe’s story.
United Kingdom
Average Rating: 7.3/10
The UK was our most featured location in 2025, and it consistently delivered the wildest stories.
We heard from Ugo (25), who helped her ex-boyfriend move to the UK and even £10,000, only for him to try and ruin her reputation and family relationships after they broke up. Then there was Chioma (41), who discovered her fiancé was only rushing their wedding because his visa was about to expire. We have to say: Nigerian men in the UK really need to do better.
Despite the relationship drama, our subjects had plenty of praise for the UK system. The transport, healthcare, security, and ease of finding proper Nigerian food make it a great location for Nigerian immigrants.
The professionals, in particular, seemed to have the best experience. We heard several stories of people abandoning established careers in Nigeria for opportunities abroad. Even those who had to work menial jobs like cleaning or care work to find their feet rarely expressed regret—not even Adedotun (27) had to juggle four different jobs when he first arrived.
For subjects like Ken (49), Adedotun, and even Oba (34), who walked away from a ₦750,000 monthly salary, the UK allowed them to level up their careers in ways that wouldn’t have been possible back home.
But it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. Nneoma (29) left a good job, a two-bedroom apartment, and a car in Nigeria, only to end up sleeping on benches in the UK cold after a friend withdrew an offer of accommodation.
On the healthcare side of things, Collins had nothing but praise for how they handle pregnancy and childbirth in the UK. Having had a child in each country, he described the UK experience as “worlds apart” compared to Nigeria.
While some subjects noted instances of racism, the impact felt lessened by the massive Nigerian community in the UK, which makes it much easier to build support systems and stay connected to home.
Check out some of our favourite UK Abroad Life stories from 2025: You can read Nneoma’s story, Ugo’s story or Collins’ story.
United States
Average Rating: 7.9/10
The US was home to some of our most positive stories in 2025. A recurring theme was the speed at which people were able to build a life, find love and buy property. It seems the US is a top-tier location for settling down; both Tolu (33) and Tope (33) managed to buy homes less than three years after arriving. We also heard from Busayo, who took an unconventional route to citizenship by joining the US Air Force, proving that the “American Dream” still has many doors.
However, the “land of opportunity” served up some nightmare stories as well. Uyai (41) sold her properties in Nigeria to study at an Ivy League university, only to end up as a househelp for an abusive Nigerian boss. Gabriel (31) moved to the US believing he’d finally be able to live freely as a queer man, but instead found discrimination even within the American queer community, leaving him feeling lonelier than he did in Nigeria. Then there was Dayo (34), who walked away from a ₦50 million oil and gas salary to get a master’s degree, only to end up struggling with student loans, racism, and depression.
While our subjects praised the American systems, the transport infrastructure received some criticism for its overreliance on car ownership. As Gabriel pointed out, you either buy a car or go broke ordering rides on rideshare services. On the plus side, the massive Nigerian communities in states like Texas make settling in much easier.
The US remains a great location for Nigerians looking to study or work, though recent government efforts to tighten immigration policies might make getting there increasingly difficult.
Check out some of our favourite Abroad Life stories from the US: You can read Tolu’s story, Uyai’s story, or Aladi’s story.
Canada
Average Rating: 8.4/10
If we had a dollar for every time we heard how nice and polite Canadians are, we’d be able to afford a holiday trip there to check for ourselves. Most subjects we talked to are in love with the country, making it our highest-rated destination of the year.
A recurring theme in 2025 was Canada being a “second-stop” location. Cynthia lived in Australia for over four years, and Stephanie (31) had toured 35 countries and lived in Kenya before finally settling in Canada. Cynthia’s business is thriving, and Stephanie says she is the happiest she’s been in a long time.
Canada also seems to be the go-to choice for Nigerian parents sending their children abroad. Both Kiki (25) and Lola Genesis (25) were sent there as teenagers—aged 14 and 16, respectively—to study by their parents.
Professional life in Canada is where Nigerians are really winning. Tobi (24) noted that, unlike her experience in Nigeria, she has never struggled to find a job in Canada, and Amina (26) described her career growth since moving as “insane.”
However, the biggest hurdles appear to be social. Amina confessed that despite having many friends, she still feels a sense of loneliness. The sheer distance between provinces also makes physical meetups difficult unless you are prepared to drive for hours.
The distance from Nigeria also takes a toll on relationships. Lola Genesis (25) admitted she feels like a stranger to her family after missing so many years of their lives. Then there is Bolu (37), who left his wife and kids in Nigeria to hustle for a better life than his ₦800,000 salary could provide. He told us he’d be much happier if his family were with him.
We also learned that Canada can be a sanctuary. Fathia (31) moved there with her secretly queer husband to escape her devoutly religious family and find a fresh start.
Ultimately, Canada gave us stories of Nigerians finding genuine happiness, even amidst the biting cold and social isolation.
Check out some of our favourite Abroad Life stories from Canada: You can read Stephanie’s story, Lola’s story or Fathia’s story.
We are looking forward to all the great stories we’ll hear this year and the different countries we’ll visit through the eyes of our subjects. We can’t wait to share it all with you. Here’s to a globe-trotting 2026!
Do you want to share your Abroad Life story? Please reach out to me here. For new episodes of Abroad Life, check in every Friday at 12 PM (WAT).
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