Canada Approves Asylum Applications for 7,643 Nigerians in 30 Months

SNOW TV NEWS DESK
Canada granted refugee protection to 7,643 Nigerians between January 2024 and June 2026, making Nigeria the leading African country in successful asylum applications during the period, according to data from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).

Figures obtained from the board’s Refugee Protection Division show that Nigerians accounted for a significant share of successful asylum claims in Canada, placing the country among the leading nationalities benefiting from refugee protection worldwide.

The data revealed that Canada approved 2,230 Nigerian asylum applications in 2024. The figure rose by approximately 55 percent to 3,463 in 2025 before reaching 1,950 in the first six months of 2026.

However, not all applications were successful. Canadian authorities rejected 3,080 Nigerian claims during the 30-month period, while another 1,530 cases were either abandoned or withdrawn.

This brought the total number of Nigerian asylum cases concluded during the period to 12,253.

Nigerians Lead African Countries in Asylum Grants

In 2025, Nigeria recorded 3,463 successful asylum applications, ahead of Uganda, which received 2,089 grants. Kenya followed with 1,532, while Ethiopia and Ghana recorded 1,522 and 1,084, respectively.

Other African countries with substantial numbers of successful applications included Cameroon, with 742 grants; the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 732; and Rwanda, with 710.

The trend continued into the first half of 2026, when 1,950 Nigerians received refugee protection in Canada. Kenya recorded 703 grants, followed by Ghana with 603, Uganda with 521, the Democratic Republic of Congo with 412, Rwanda with 389, Ethiopia with 378, and Cameroon with 300.

Cumulatively, Uganda recorded 3,943 successful applications over the 30 months, followed by Kenya with 3,888, Ethiopia with 2,982, Ghana with 2,000, the Democratic Republic of Congo with 1,867. Rwanda with 1,699 and Cameroon with 1,643.

Thousands of Nigerian Applications Rejected

Despite the high number of approvals, thousands of Nigerians were denied refugee protection during the period.

The IRB data showed that 3,080 Nigerian applications were rejected between January 2024 and June 2026. The Democratic Republic of Congo recorded the second-highest number of rejections among the listed African countries, with 1,230, followed by Ghana with 885 and Kenya with 639.

In 2024, Canadian authorities concluded 3,249 Nigerian cases, approving 2,230 and rejecting 811. The remaining cases were abandoned or withdrawn.

The number of concluded Nigerian cases increased to 5,039 in 2025. Of these, 3,463 applications, representing approximately 68.7 percent, were approved, while 1,377 were rejected.

During the first half of 2026, Canada concluded 3,965 Nigerian cases, granting protection to 1,950 applicants and rejecting 892.

Nigeria Accounts for a Significant Share of Global Approvals

Globally, Canada concluded 79,462 refugee claims in 2025, approving 50,067 and rejecting 14,619. Nigeria’s 3,463 successful applications accounted for approximately 6.9 percent of all refugee claims approved worldwide that year.

In the first six months of 2026, the IRB approved 22,109 of the 49,960 claims it concluded. Nigerian applicants accounted for 1,950 of the successful cases, representing approximately 8.8 percent of the global total.

Across the entire 30-month period, Canada concluded 202,878 refugee claims from applicants of different nationalities. Of these, 118,656 were approved, while 34,546 were rejected.

Nigeria’s 7,643 approvals represented approximately 6.4 percent of all refugee protection grants recorded worldwide by the Canadian board during the period.

African countries collectively accounted for an estimated 35,000 approvals, representing about 29.5 percent of the global total. Nigeria contributed roughly one in every five successful African applications.

Backlog of Pending Applications

The figures also highlight the pressure on Canada’s refugee determination system.

As of December 31, 2024, the IRB had 19,889 Nigerian cases awaiting decisions, nearly six times the number of Nigerian applications concluded during that year.

The backlog persisted amid a broader increase in applications. Canada received 107,802 new referrals to its Refugee Protection Division in 2025 alone, while 299,614 claims remained pending at the end of that year.

Canada’s refugee determination system is administered by the Immigration and Refugee Board, an independent federal administrative tribunal established under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

The board’s Refugee Protection Division assesses asylum claims to determine whether applicants qualify as refugees under the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention or as persons in need of protection.

Under these criteria, applicants must demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution based on factors such as race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Protection may also be granted where returning an applicant to their home country would expose them to risks such as torture, death, or cruel and unusual treatment or punishment.

Applicants whose claims are rejected may have access to an appeal before the Refugee Appeal Division, subject to eligibility requirements. Further legal remedies may also be available through Canada’s Federal Court and other applicable immigration procedures.

SNOW TV NEWS EDITORIAL ANALYSIS
The approval of 7,643 Nigerian asylum applications in Canada within 30 months highlights the growing importance of international migration as an option for Nigerians seeking safety and a more secure future. However, the figures must be interpreted carefully: successful asylum claims do not, by themselves, establish the reasons behind the applicants’ decisions to leave Nigeria or prove that every applicant faced the same circumstances.

The increase in successful applications from 2,230 in 2024 to 3,463 in 2025 is significant. Yet, the rise could reflect several factors, including changes in the number and composition of applications, the circumstances of individual claimants, and the timing of decisions on pending cases. Approval figures alone cannot establish the extent to which insecurity, economic hardship, or other conditions drove the trend.

Nevertheless, the numbers raise important questions for Nigerian policymakers. Persistent concerns about personal safety, economic opportunity, employment, and confidence in public institutions can influence decisions to seek a future abroad. Addressing these concerns requires sustained efforts to improve security, expand productive employment, strengthen public services, and create conditions in which citizens can pursue their ambitions at home.

The rejection of 3,080 Nigerian claims also deserves attention. Asylum is a legal protection mechanism, not an automatic immigration route. Applicants must satisfy the relevant legal criteria, and each case is assessed on its individual circumstances. Nigerians considering this route should therefore seek reliable legal advice and understand the requirements rather than assume that nationality alone guarantees protection.