Canada accepted 3,463 asylum claims from Nigerian nationals in 2025, with 21,573 applications pending as of the end of the year, according to figures from the country’s Immigration and Refugee Board.
The data, updated on February 13 and sighted on Thursday, covers claims referred to the Refugee Protection Division between January and December 2025.
The figures show that Nigerians filed 6,765 asylum claims. Of these, 3,463 were accepted, 1,377 were rejected, 46 were abandoned, and 153 were withdrawn or fell into other categories, resulting in 5,039 finalised cases. Another 21,573 claims from Nigerians were pending as of December 31, 2025.
The acceptance rate stands at about 68 percent, higher than in previous years when 2,230 of 16,267 claims were accepted. This places Nigeria among the top countries of alleged persecution for asylum claims in Canada last year, alongside India, Haiti, Iran, and Mexico.
Under Canadian law, the Refugee Protection Division grants refugee protection if a claimant meets the United Nations 1951 Convention definition of a refugee. Reasons for asylum include a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, or the risk of torture, cruel and unusual treatment, or punishment upon return.
Asylum claimants must prove that they have a well-founded fear of persecution or face a risk of serious harm in the country where they are citizens. Those whose claims are accepted become protected persons and may apply for permanent residence, while those denied may be subject to removal from the country.
Overall, Canada handled 107,802 referred claims across all countries in 2025, with 50,067 cases finalised. Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia currently host the largest numbers of asylum seekers.
