Canada has released sweeping new travel advisories for 17 African countries, warning its citizens of rising insecurity, political instability, and extremist violence.
The review, issued between Nov. 13 and 15 by Global Affairs Canada, follows what officials describe as rapidly deteriorating conditions across several regions.
The advisories place eight countries, including South Sudan, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, and Sudan, on the “Avoid All Travel” list.
Officials said these nations face “extremely risky” conditions due to active insurgencies, militant attacks, and collapsing political structures.
Nigeria appears on the second tier of warnings, classified under “Avoid Non-Essential Travel,” alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Chad, Ethiopia, Burundi, Eritrea, Mauritania, and Tanzania.
Canadians have been urged to consider the purpose of any trip carefully and monitor local developments closely.
Global Affairs Canada said the changes were driven by worsening insecurity across the continent.
“The revised advisories were informed by worsening armed conflicts, fragile political transitions, and unpredictable security conditions across several regions in Africa,” the agency stated.
Officials warned that countries on the highest alert level pose severe risks for citizens who travel there.
They noted that anyone entering “Avoid All Travel” nations may face extreme danger, limited consular assistance, and difficulty securing evacuation if a crisis erupts.
A report by Prime Business Africa also highlighted how several of the flagged countries continue to struggle with insurgencies, communal clashes, and weak governance — factors Canadian authorities say contributed to what has become one of their largest travel-risk updates in recent years.
