The United States has granted citizenship to 3,270 Nigerian-born service members through military naturalization between 2020 and 2024.

This positions Nigeria as the fourth highest country in this category, following the Philippines, Jamaica, and Mexico.

According to data released by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the number of Nigerian service members gaining U.S. citizenship has shown a steady increase over the past five years.

The figures rose from 340 in 2020 to 930 in 2024. "Service members born in the Philippines, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, and Ghana — the top five countries of birth among those naturalized — comprised over 38% of the naturalizations since FY 2020," the report stated.

The Army was the predominant branch for these naturalizations, accounting for 60% during this period, followed by the Navy at 20.4%, the Air Force at 10.6%, and the Marine Corps at 6.6%. The report further highlighted that half of the naturalized service members were aged between 22 and 30, with the median age being 27. Additionally, men represented 73% of all those naturalized.

This show the notable contribution of Nigerian service members to the U.S. armed forces and their successful integration through citizenship.

The data also revealed that Nigeria ranked fourth among countries whose citizens were granted U.S. citizenship through military naturalization, trailing only behind the Philippines (5,630), Jamaica (5,420), and Mexico (3,670).