Migration, Human Smuggling and Trafficking from Nigeria to Europe

Migration from Nigeria to Europe has attracted considerable attention from both governments and the media. This is partly because some elements of this migration flow are related to trafficking in persons and other criminal activities, and also because Nigerians have become prominent among sub-Saharan African asylum seekers in Europe. There are several hundreds of thousands of Nigerians throughout Europe, half of whom live in the United Kingdom. Italy is host to the second-largest group of Nigerians and is the most important destination for trafficking in persons from Nigeria. Although existing research and documentation on Nigerians in Europe concentrates on prostitution, trafficking and other criminal activities, the great majority of Nigerian immigrants living in Europe without any involvement in such activities are ignored. This is a revised version of a report originally published in Norwegian (Fra Nigeria til Europe). The original research and the subsequent translation and revision were funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police.