Canada Rejects 1,596 Nigerian Asylum Claims, as Students, Workers, Others Struggle for Refuge

Canada has rejected 1,596 asylum applications from Nigerians so far in 2025, leaving hundreds of students, workers, and other applicants stranded in their quest for protection abroad.

Fresh figures from the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), obtained by newsmen, show that Nigerian nationals filed 3,548 asylum claims between January and August 21. Out of these, 2,292 were approved, representing an acceptance rate of 65 per cent—slightly higher than in previous years when cumulative rejections topped 13,000.

Analyses by Canadian immigration law firm Maple Crest earlier placed Nigeria among the top sources of asylum seekers, alongside Mexico, India, Haiti, and Colombia. Many of the claims, observers note, were filed by young professionals, students, and displaced workers fleeing a mix of insecurity and economic hardship at home.

The IRB grants refugee protection if applicants meet the United Nations’ definition of a refugee or prove that returning home poses a real risk of torture, death, or cruel and unusual treatment. However, applicants must also show proper documentation and meet eligibility guidelines at the point of entry.

Records show that Canada rejected 811 Nigerian asylum claims in 2024 and 13,171 between 2013 and 2024, consistently ranking Nigeria among the top five countries for denials. The highest rejections came in 2019, when 3,951 applications were turned down.

Ontario and Alberta currently host the highest numbers of asylum seekers, but delays and a rising backlog at the IRB have continued to draw criticism.

Speaking on the issue, Imaobong Ladipo-Sanusi, Executive Director of the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation, said economic hardship is pushing more Nigerians into irregular migration, often without understanding the rules guiding asylum.

“Most times, many Nigerians miss it when they don’t understand the laws governing refugee status as adopted in their chosen destination. Documentation is crucial, because coming irregularly will get you rejected from their system. But ultimately, everybody’s rights must be protected. Migration must be safe, orderly, and regular,” she told newsmen

Despite the high rejection numbers, over 10,500 Nigerians were granted refugee status between 2013 and 2024, with 2,230 approvals recorded in 2024 alone.