Canada granted asylum to 7,643 Nigerians between January 2024 and June 2026, making Nigeria the African country with the highest number of successful refugee protection claims during the period, according to data from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.
The figures, obtained by Saturday PUNCH from the board’s Refugee Protection Division, showed that thousands of Nigerians received approval to remain in Canada after seeking protection from possible persecution, danger or other forms of serious harm in their home country.
The data revealed that Canada approved 2,230 Nigerian asylum applications in 2024. The figure rose by about 55 per cent to 3,463 in 2025, while another 1,950 Nigerians secured refugee protection in the first six months of 2026.
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However, Canadian authorities rejected 3,080 Nigerian applications within the same 30-month period. Another 1,530 cases were either withdrawn or abandoned, bringing the total number of Nigerian cases concluded during the period to 12,253.
Nigerians Lead Africa in Canada’s Asylum Approvals
The figures showed that Nigeria recorded more successful asylum applications than any other African country in 2025.
A total of 3,463 Nigerians received refugee protection during the year, followed by Uganda with 2,089 approvals, Kenya with 1,532, Ethiopia with 1,522 and Ghana with 1,084.
Other African countries with significant numbers of successful applications included Cameroon, with 742 approvals; the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 732; and Rwanda, with 710.
The trend continued in the first half of 2026, when 1,950 Nigerians received asylum approval. Ghana recorded 603 approvals, while Kenya had 703, Uganda 521, the Democratic Republic of Congo 412, Ethiopia 378, Rwanda 389 and Cameroon 300.
Across the entire period, Uganda recorded 3,943 approvals, while Kenya had 3,888. Ethiopia followed with 2,982, ahead of Ghana with 2,000, the Democratic Republic of Congo with 1,867, Rwanda with 1,699 and Cameroon with 1,643.
Canada Rejects Thousands of Nigerian Claims
Despite the high number of approvals, thousands of Nigerian asylum applications were unsuccessful.
The IRB data showed that Canadian authorities rejected 811 Nigerian claims in 2024, while 1,377 were refused in 2025. Another 892 applications were rejected between January and June 2026.
In 2024, the board concluded 3,249 Nigerian cases, approving 2,230 and rejecting 811. The remaining cases were either abandoned or withdrawn.
The number of Nigerian cases finalised increased to 5,039 in 2025, with 68.7 per cent resulting in refugee protection and 1,377 applications rejected.
The board also recorded a substantial backlog of Nigerian applications. As of December 31, 2024, 19,889 Nigerian cases were awaiting decisions, almost six times the number concluded during that year.
Nigeria Accounts for a Significant Share of Global Approvals
Worldwide, Canada finalised 79,462 refugee claims in 2025, approving 50,067 and rejecting 14,619.
The 3,463 successful Nigerian applications accounted for approximately 6.9 per cent of all refugee protection approvals recorded globally that year.
In the first six months of 2026, Canada finalised 49,960 refugee claims worldwide, granting protection in 22,109 cases. Nigerians accounted for 1,950 of the successful applications, representing about 8.8 per cent of the total.
Across the 30 months covered by the report, Canada concluded 202,878 refugee claims from applicants of different nationalities. Of these, 118,656 received approval, while 34,546 were rejected.
The 7,643 successful Nigerian applications represented approximately 6.4 per cent of all refugee protection grants recorded worldwide during the period.
African nationals collectively accounted for an estimated 35,000 approvals, representing about 29.5 per cent of the global total. Nigeria contributed roughly one in every five refugee protection grants awarded to African applicants.
How Canada’s Asylum System Works
Canada’s refugee determination system is administered by the Immigration and Refugee Board, an independent federal tribunal established under the country’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Its Refugee Protection Division is responsible for hearing and deciding asylum applications submitted in Canada or at designated ports of entry.
Under the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention, applicants may qualify for protection if they demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution based on factors such as race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group.
Applicants may also qualify as persons in need of protection if returning to their home countries would expose them to torture, a risk to their lives, or cruel and unusual treatment or punishment.
Individuals seeking asylum must provide evidence to support their claims. Depending on where they arrive and their circumstances, they may initiate the process through Canadian border officials or immigration authorities.
Eligible applications are referred to the Refugee Protection Division for assessment.
Applicants whose claims are rejected may, where eligible, appeal to the Refugee Appeal Division. They may also seek judicial review at Canada’s Federal Court or pursue other available legal remedies, including a pre-removal risk assessment where applicable.
The IRB data further showed that Canada received 107,802 new refugee claim referrals in 2025. As of December 31, 2025, a total of 299,614 refugee claims remained pending before the board.
Source: Punch
