Italy denies asylum to 2,220 Nigerians as 4,120 cases remain pending

Italy rejected 2,220 Nigerian asylum applications in 2025, while granting full refugee status to 660 applicants, according to figures published in a new report on the country’s asylum system.

The data, reported by The PUNCH, came from the 2025 Asylum Information Database country report on Italy, compiled using information from Italian authorities and the European Union Agency for Asylum.

At least 3,385 Nigerians applied for asylum in Italy during the year, making Nigeria the only sub-Saharan African country among the top 10 nationalities seeking protection.

Beyond those granted refugee status, 55 Nigerians received subsidiary protection, while 460 were awarded special protection. Overall, 1,175 Nigerians received some form of protection, representing 34.66 per cent of decisions on Nigerian cases.

However, 4,120 Nigerian asylum cases remained pending as of December 31, 2025.

The report also found that Italy recorded 126,635 first-time asylum applications in 2025, down from 151,120 in 2024. Its overall protection rate fell to 30 per cent from 35 per cent the previous year.