Trump: 33% of Nigerian immigrant households in US receive welfare

United States President Donald Trump has released data showing that approximately one-third of Nigerian immigrant households—33.3 per cent—receive some form of public assistance in the US.

The chart, shared on Trump’s Truth Social platform on January 4, 2026, is titled “Immigrant Welfare Recipient Rates by Country of Origin”.

It covers around 114 nations and territories and reflects households receiving various forms of support, including food assistance, healthcare benefits, and other social welfare programmes.

The statistics place Nigerian immigrants among those with moderate welfare dependency, compared with the highest rates recorded for countries such as Bhutan (81.4%), Yemen (75.2%), Somalia (71.9%), and the Marshall Islands (71.4%).

Conversely, the lowest welfare recipient rates were reported among immigrant households from Bermuda (25.5%), Saudi Arabia (25.7%), Israel/Palestine (25.9%), Argentina (26.2%), and South Korea (27.2%).

The release of these figures comes amid ongoing Republican discussions on immigration, welfare dependency, and the economic contribution of foreign nationals in the United States.

It coincided with measures to expand travel bans and tighten immigration restrictions, dictating who may enter the country and under what conditions.

Trump’s post has reignited debate over the balance between immigration policy and social welfare systems, as critics argue the figures oversimplify complex socioeconomic realities.