Canada has denied 1,596 asylum claims filed by Nigerians so far in 2025, according to fresh data released by the Immigration and Refugee Board.
Figures updated to August 21 show that Nigerian nationals submitted 3,548 claims this year, of which 2,292 were approved. This represents an acceptance rate of about 65 per cent, an improvement on previous years when rejections cumulatively exceeded 13,000.
A prior analysis by Maple Crest Law, a Canadian immigration practice, had estimated 3,455 Nigerian asylum claims in early 2025, placing Nigeria among the top sources of asylum seekers alongside Mexico, India, Haiti, and Colombia.
Violence linked to Boko Haram and worsening economic instability were cited as key drivers of the mass departures. Ontario and Alberta currently host the largest share of asylum seekers.
The IRB grants refugee protection in Canada only if the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) confirms that an applicant meets the United Nations definition of a convention refugee, “which has been incorporated into Canadian law, or that the applicant is a person in need of protection.”
The 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees defines refugees as persons who face a substantiated fear of persecution because of their race, nationality, religion, political ideology, or membership in a particular social group. Such groups may include sexual orientation, gender identity, women, and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
Applicants must also demonstrate evidence of danger of torture, risk to life, or exposure to cruel and unusual treatment if returned to their country of origin. Typically, claims are initiated when immigrants notify the Border Services Agency at a port of entry or report to an immigration officer.
“The officer decides whether the claim is eligible to be referred to the IRB. If the claim is eligible, it is sent (‘referred’) to the RPD to start the claim for refugee protection process,” the Refugee Board’s application guideline explains.
By comparison, in 2024 alone, 811 Nigerian asylum claims were denied while 2,230 were approved. Between 2013 and 2024, the RPD turned down 13,171 Nigerian applications and accepted 10,580, consistently ranking Nigeria among the top five countries with the highest rejection volumes.
Canada’s overall asylum demand surged to a record 173,000 claims in 2024, but government data indicate applications eased slightly in 2025, with 19,660 filed in the first two months. Still, volumes remain well above pre-pandemic levels. The IRB has faced criticism for growing delays as backlogs expand.
A breakdown of Nigerian rejections since 2013 shows 127, 241 and 248 refusals in 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively, under Canada’s revised system for refugee protection claims introduced on December 15, 2012. A further 476, 917 and 1,777 claims were rejected in 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively, while 2019 recorded the peak with 3,951 denials.
Subsequent years saw 1,770 refusals in 2020, 1,686 in 2021, 728 in 2022, 439 in 2023, and 811 in 2024. Despite the rejections, 10,580 Nigerians were granted refugee status within the decade, including 2,230 in 2024 alone. Nigeria ranked 8th globally among countries with the most accepted asylum claims.
Others on the list include Turkiye with 4,866 approvals, Mexico with 4,363, Colombia with 3,340, Iran with 3,200, Pakistan with 2,556, Haiti with 2,211, Afghanistan with 1,921, and Kenya with 1,653.
