Between January 2013 and December 2024, no fewer than 13,171 Nigerians seeking refugee protection in Canada had their claims rejected, according to data from the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).
In 2024 alone, 811 Nigerian asylum seekers had their claims denied.
Nigeria ranked fifth among countries with the highest number of rejected refugee claims, alongside Mexico (2,954), India (1,688), Haiti (982), and Colombia (723), according to a report by Sunday Punch.
The IRB grants refugee status to applicants who meet the United Nations’ definition of a Convention refugee, which is incorporated into Canadian law.
The 1951 UN Convention on Refugees defines refugees as individuals with a well-founded fear of persecution based on their race, nationality, religion, political beliefs, or membership in a particular social group.
These social groups can include sexual orientation, gender identity, being a woman, or individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
Applicants must also provide evidence of torture, threats to life, or the risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment if they are forced to return to their home country.
Typically, refugee claims are made when immigrants notify the Border Services Agency upon arrival at a Canadian port of entry or report to an immigration officer.
If a claim is deemed eligible, it is referred to the RPD to begin the refugee determination process.
During the period under review, 94 claims from Nigerian passport holders were abandoned, often due to:
- Failure to submit the Basis of Claim Form on time
- Inability to provide correct and current contact information
- Non-attendance at refugee protection hearings
Additionally, 78 claims were withdrawn, meaning the applicants chose not to proceed with their requests. As of 2024, 19,889 claims from Nigerians were still pending.
The number of rejected claims fluctuated over the years:
- 2013 – 127 rejections
- 2014 – 241 rejections
- 2015 – 248 rejections
- 2016 – 476 rejections
- 2017 – 917 rejections
- 2018 – 1,777 rejections
- 2019 – 3,951 rejections (highest annual figure)
- 2020 – 1,770 rejections
- 2021 – 1,686 rejections
- 2022 – 728 rejections
- 2023 – 439 rejections
- 2024 – 811 rejections
Despite the high rejection rate, 10,580 Nigerians successfully obtained refugee protection over the past decade.
In 2024 alone, 2,230 Nigerians were granted asylum.
Nigeria ranked 8th among the top 10 countries with the highest number of accepted claims.
Other countries in the top 10 include:
- Turkiye – 4,866 successful claims
- Mexico – 4,363 successful claims
- Colombia – 3,340 successful claims
- Iran – 3,200 successful claims
- Pakistan – 2,556 successful claims
- Haiti – 2,211 successful claims
- Afghanistan – 1,921 successful claims
- Kenya – 1,653 successful claims
The number of successful Nigerian asylum claims has varied over the years:
- 2013 – Fewer than 20 approvals
- 2014 – 308 approvals
- 2015 – 394 approvals
- 2016 – 389 approvals
- 2017 – 764 approvals
- 2018 – 755 approvals
- 2019 – 1,733 approvals
- 2020 – 1,534 approvals
- 2021 – 2,302 approvals
- 2022 – 1,315 approvals
- 2024 – 2,230 approvals
While thousands of Nigerians continue to seek refugee status in Canada, the rejection rate remains significant.
With over 19,000 claims still pending, the outcome of these applications will determine future trends in Canada’s immigration policy toward Nigerian asylum seekers.
