Canada has denied 1,596 asylum claims filed by Nigerians between January and August 2025, according to fresh figures from the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).
The data, updated to August 21, show that Nigerians filed 3,548 claims so far this year, of which 2,292 were approved, putting the acceptance rate at about 65 per cent. This marks an improvement compared to previous years when cumulative rejections exceeded 13,000 cases.
An earlier analysis by Maple Crest Law, a Canadian immigration practice, placed Nigeria among the top sources of asylum seekers in 2025, alongside Mexico, India, Haiti, and Colombia.
The IRB grants refugee protection if applicants meet the United Nations definition of a refugee, which has been incorporated into Canadian law. This includes persons facing a substantiated fear of persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group such as sexual minorities, women, or people living with HIV/AIDS.
Applicants must also demonstrate evidence of risk to life, torture, or exposure to cruel and unusual treatment if returned home.
By comparison, 811 Nigerian claims were rejected in 2024, while 2,230 were approved. Between 2013 and 2024, the board turned down 13,171 Nigerian applications and approved 10,580, consistently placing Nigeria among the top five in volume of denials.
Records also show that 2019 saw the highest number of rejections in a single year, with 3,951 Nigerian claims denied.
Meanwhile, Canada received a record 173,000 asylum applications in 2024, with demand easing slightly in 2025 but remaining well above pre-pandemic levels.
Experts link Nigeria’s high asylum numbers to economic hardship and insecurity, particularly Boko Haram violence. However, irregular migration patterns and poor documentation have been cited as major reasons for rejections.
“Most times, many Nigerians miss it when they don’t understand the laws governing refugee status as adopted in their chosen destination,” said Imaobong Ladipo-Sanusi, Executive Director of the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation. “Documentation is crucial because coming irregularly will get you rejected.”
Despite the rejections, Canada remains one of the top destinations for Nigerian migrants. Official data show Nigeria ranked 8th globally in 2024 for the most asylum approvals, behind countries such as Turkey, Mexico, Colombia, Iran, and Haiti.
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