Canada has turned down 1,596 asylum applications from Nigerians this year, according to fresh figures released by the Immigration and Refugee Board.
The data, updated to August 21, showed that Nigerians filed 3,548 claims in 2025, with 2,292 approved. This puts the acceptance rate at 65 per cent, higher than in previous years when more than 13,000 rejections were recorded between 2013 and 2024.
A breakdown of earlier figures revealed that 3,951 Nigerians were denied protection in 2019 alone, the highest in a single year under the current refugee system that came into effect in 2012. Between 2020 and 2024, the numbers dropped, with 811 rejections in 2024 compared to 1,770 in 2020.
Nigeria has consistently ranked among the top five countries with the most asylum denials in Canada over the last decade. At the same time, 10,580 Nigerians were granted refugee status during the same period, including 2,230 in 2024.
The Refugee Protection Division, which oversees applications, stressed that claimants must meet the United Nations definition of a refugee, which Canada has adopted into its law. This includes proving a credible fear of persecution due to race, religion, political opinion, nationality, or membership in a particular social group. The board also considers risks of torture or cruel treatment.
An official guideline from the Refugee Board explains: “The officer decides whether the claim is eligible to be referred to the IRB. If the claim is eligible, it is sent to the RPD to start the claim for refugee protection process.”
Despite this, Nigeria remains among the top 10 countries whose nationals secured approvals. In 2024, it ranked eighth, behind Turkiye, Mexico, Colombia, Iran, Pakistan, Haiti, and Afghanistan but ahead of Kenya.
Immigration experts say the surge in applications is largely tied to violence and economic hardship. Maple Crest Law, a Canadian immigration practice, earlier projected that Nigeria would remain among the leading sources of asylum seekers alongside Mexico, India, Haiti, and Colombia.
Civil society groups warn that irregular migration often undermines genuine claims. Speaking on the trend, Imaobong Ladipo-Sanusi, Executive Director of the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation, said most Nigerians fail to meet requirements because they enter without proper documents.
“Most times, many Nigerians miss it when they don’t understand the laws governing refugee status as adopted in their chosen destination. For one, documentation is crucial because coming irregularly will get you rejected from their system,” she said.
She added that while migration should be safe and orderly, “ultimately, everybody’s rights must be protected. Even if their status is irregular, those who really need protection should be protected.”
Meanwhile, the number of overall asylum requests in Canada has surged since the pandemic. A record 173,000 claims were filed in 2024, though applications slowed slightly in early 2025, with about 19,660 in the first two months.
Ontario and Alberta currently host the largest numbers of Nigerian asylum seekers.
