Canada has approved 2,292 asylum applications from Nigerian nationals between January and August 2025, while rejecting 1,596 others, according to new data from the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).
The figures show that out of 3,548 claims lodged by Nigerians in the period, nearly two-thirds were successful, putting the approval rate at 65 per cent.
Nigeria ranked among the top sources of asylum seekers in Canada this year, alongside Mexico, India, Haiti and Colombia, according to Maple Crest Law, a Canadian immigration practice. The firm linked the surge in claims to persistent insecurity from Boko Haram violence and economic instability at home.
Ontario and Alberta currently host the largest numbers of Nigerian asylum seekers, the report noted.
Under Canadian law, refugee status is granted if an applicant meets the United Nations definition of a refugee or is deemed a person in need of protection, which includes those at risk of torture, persecution or cruel treatment if returned home.
The 2025 approval rate contrasts with previous years. In 2024, 2,230 Nigerian claims were accepted while 811 were rejected. Between 2013 and 2024, the IRB denied 13,171 Nigerian applications but approved 10,580. Rejections peaked in 2019 when 3,951 Nigerians were turned down, though the numbers have since fluctuated.
Despite the high rate of denials in past years, thousands of Nigerians continue to secure refugee protection, making Canada a leading destination for asylum seekers from Africa.
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