“I’m 70% Nigerian, 30% American”

Abstract Africa-West migration is on the increase. For many young Nigerians, emigration is a goal that must be achieved by any means possible, regardless of the realities in receiving countries. With exposure to new environments, migrants can identify with their home culture, assimilate the lifestyles of the host country, or find a middle ground. This study examined the patterns of self-identification among Nigerian migrants and their understanding of the complex concept of “immigrant integration.” The study explores the (dis)connections between migrants’ self-identification and their viewpoint of immigrant integration. The study analyzed thirty qualitative interviews with sixteen Nigerian migrants in the United States (US) and fourteen in the United Kingdom (UK). The study employed a thematic analysis approach and utilized NVivo (version 14) to manage the data, finding that most participants reported a stronger allegiance to Nigerian culture than to the host country, with their justifications primarily revolving around food, social life, and citizenship. Others identified fully with the host country, primarily because of unpleasant experiences in their country of origin. Using W. E. B. Du Bois’s concept of “double consciousness,” the study reveals that, despite an overwhelming identification with their country of origin, most participants conceived of immigrant integration as assimilation—a process of “sinking,” “learning,” “assimilating,” and “adopting” the culture of the host country. The study suggests that migrants’ identity and identification are inherently fluid. The disconnect between self-identification and the understanding of integration is attributed to the framing of immigrant integration by host governments and migrants’ urge for a positive migration experience in the host country.