Three out of four Nigerian asylum claims rejected globally—but the applications keep coming

More than 11,000 Nigerians sought asylum in Ireland over a 13-year period, new figures have revealed — a number that places Nigeria among the largest sources of international protection applicants in the country, even as the vast majority of Nigerian claims globally are rejected, according to The Punch.

Ireland received 4,037 Nigerian asylum applications in a recent annual period, part of a broader pattern that has seen Nigeria consistently rank among the top source countries for protection seekers across Europe and North America. Canada received 13,222 applications from Nigerians, approving only 2,196, while Italy processed 4,292 claims, granting just 650. The UK saw 2,841 applications, with only 446 approvals.

Despite the volume of applications, 74% of Nigerian asylum claims were rejected globally — a figure that underscores both the scale of the phenomenon and the limited international recognition of Nigerian protection claims.

In 2025, Ireland received 13,111 asylum applications from all nationalities, with Nigerians among the top three source countries alongside Somalia and Pakistan. Around 16% of initial applications were answered positively, with 84% rejected at first instance.

Data from the European Union Agency for Asylum showed that 36% of applications from Nigeria in the EU+ area were recorded in Ireland — up from 13% in 2023 — making Ireland a disproportionately significant destination for Nigerian asylum seekers relative to its population size.

Analysts attribute the surge in Nigerian applications to a combination of insecurity, economic hardship, youth unemployment and diminishing faith in government — conditions that show little sign of improving ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.