Canada approves 2,292 Nigerian asylum claims in 2025, rejects 1,596

Canada has approved nearly two-thirds of asylum applications filed by Nigerians so far this year, reflecting both a growing wave of migration from the country and shifting adjudication trends.

Data from Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) show that between January and August 2025, a total of 3,548 claims were lodged by Nigerian nationals. Of these, 2,292 were accepted while 1,596 were denied, representing an approval rate of 65 per cent – higher than in previous years.

The figures underline Nigeria’s position as one of the top sources of asylum seekers in Canada. Maple Crest Law, a Canadian immigration practice, reported that Nigeria ranked alongside Mexico, India, Haiti, and Colombia as leading sources of claims in early 2025. The firm attributed the trend largely to insecurity linked to Boko Haram and worsening economic conditions at home.

Ontario and Alberta currently host the largest numbers of Nigerian asylum seekers.

Under Canadian law, refugee status is granted if an applicant meets the United Nations definition of a convention refugee or is deemed a person in need of protection. The 1951 UN Refugee Convention defines a refugee as someone with a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, nationality, religion, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. In Canada, such groups have been interpreted to include women, sexual minorities, and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Applicants must also show that returning home would expose them to risks such as torture, threats to life, or cruel and unusual treatment. Claims are initiated either at ports of entry to the Canada Border Services Agency or directly to an immigration officer, before being referred to the IRB for hearing.

The latest figures mark a contrast with recent years. In 2024, 2,230 Nigerian asylum claims were approved, while 811 were rejected. Between 2013 and 2024, the IRB denied 13,171 Nigerian applications but granted protection to 10,580, placing Nigeria consistently among the top five countries for asylum denials.

The peak rejection year came in 2019, when 3,951 Nigerians were turned down. Denials had risen steadily from 127 in 2013 to 1,777 in 2018 before spiking the following year. They later fell during the pandemic period – 1,770 in 2020, 1,686 in 2021, 728 in 2022, 439 in 2023, and 811 in 2024.

Despite these fluctuations, thousands of Nigerians have successfully secured protection in Canada, making the country one of the key destinations for asylum seekers from Africa.