Canada has rejected 1,596 asylum applications from Nigerian nationals so far in 2025, according to updated figures from the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).

The data, current to August 21, shows that Nigerians filed 3,548 claims this year, of which 2,292 were accepted. That puts the acceptance rate at roughly 65 per cent, higher than in previous years, when cumulative rejections exceeded 13,000.

An analysis by Maple Crest Law, a Canadian immigration practice, earlier estimated Nigerian claims at 3,455 for early 2025, placing the country among the top sources of asylum seekers alongside Mexico, India, Haiti and Colombia.

Violence linked to Boko Haram and ongoing economic instability have been major drivers of migration, the report noted. Ontario and Alberta currently host the largest numbers of Nigerian asylum seekers.

Under Canadian law, the IRB grants refugee protection if an applicant meets the United Nations definition of a convention refugee or is deemed a person in need of protection. The 1951 UN Refugee Convention defines refugees as individuals with a substantiated fear of persecution based on race, nationality, religion, political views, or membership in a particular social group; categories that can include gender identity, sexual orientation, women, and persons living with HIV/AIDS.

Applicants must also demonstrate a risk of torture, threats to life, or exposure to cruel and unusual treatment if returned to their home country. Protection claims are typically filed either at ports of entry through the Canada Border Services Agency or directly with immigration officers.

By comparison, Canadian records show 811 Nigerian claims were rejected in 2024, while 2,230 were approved. Between 2013 and 2024, 13,171 Nigerian claims were turned down and 10,580 accepted, keeping Nigeria among the top five countries in volume of rejections.

Rejections peaked in 2019, when 3,951 claims from Nigerians were denied. The following years recorded 1,770 in 2020, 1,686 in 2021, 728 in 2022, 439 in 2023 and 811 in 2024.

Still, Nigerians have secured significant protection in Canada. The IRB accepted 10,580 claims over the past decade, with 2,230 approvals in 2024 alone. Nigeria was ranked eighth on Canada’s list of top countries with accepted claims, alongside Turkiye (4,866), Mexico (4,363), Colombia (3,340), Iran (3,200), Pakistan (2,556), Haiti (2,211), Afghanistan (1,921) and Kenya (1,653).

Canada recorded a record 173,000 asylum claims in 2024. While applications eased slightly this year with about 19,660 filed in the first two months, volumes remain far above pre-pandemic levels.

The IRB has faced mounting criticism for delays and a growing backlog as claims continue to rise.