Nigeria, May 13 -- In the first quarter of 2025, the maritime smuggling route from West and North Africa to the Canary Islands remained the most active - and deadliest - way for migrants to enter the European Union. After trending dramatically upwards since 2020, the number of migrants using the Canary Islands route (also known as the Atlantic route or north-west African route) escalated sharply in 2023 (40 330) and 2024 (46 843) to roughly double the annual arrival figures in 2020 and 2021.

Displacement of Malians and other West Africans away from northbound trans-Sahelian routes explains part of this increase. Reflecting this, between 2023 and 2024 the Central Mediterranean route saw a 59% reduction in migrant numbers. Resurgence of co...