Canada accepted 3,463 asylum claims from Nigerian nationals in 2025, with 21,573 applications pending as of the end of the year.
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The figures, updated by the country’s Immigration and Refugee Board on February 13 and sighted on Thursday, cover claims referred to the Refugee Protection Division between January and December 2025.
The data shows that Nigerians filed 6,765 asylum claims.
Of these, “3,463 were accepted, 1,377 were rejected, 46 were abandoned, and 153 were withdrawn or fell into other categories, resulting in 5,039 finalised cases.”
Another 21,573 claims from Nigerians were pending as of December 31, 2025.
This puts the acceptance rate at about 68 per cent, higher than in previous years when 2,230 of 16,267 claims were accepted.
This places Nigeria among the top countries of alleged persecution for asylum claims in Canada last year, alongside India, Haiti, Iran, and Mexico.
Under Canadian law, the Refugee Protection Division grants refugee protection if a claimant meets the United Nations 1951 Convention definition of a refugee.
Reasons for asylum include a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, or the risk of torture, cruel and unusual treatment, or punishment upon return.
“You can ask for refugee protection in two ways: when you arrive at a Canadian port of entry: an airport, land border or seaport; when you are already in Canada (inland),” the IRB said.
It added, “Canada has an obligation to assess the eligibility of asylum claims made by individuals who arrive in the country seeking refugee protection (asylum).
“An Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) official or a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer first assesses each claim for eligibility to be referred to IRB.
“All eligible claims are then determined by the IRB based on the evidence and arguments presented, and in line with Canadian laws.”
“Asylum claimants must prove that they have a well-founded fear of persecution or face a risk of serious harm—such as torture, cruel and unusual treatment, or punishment—in the country where they are a citizen or where they have nationality. If they are stateless, this applies to the country where they usually live.”
According to the board, those whose claims are accepted become protected persons and may apply for permanent residence, while those denied may be subject to removal from the country.
Overall, the report showed that Canada handled 107,802 referred claims across all countries in 2025, with 50,067 cases finalised.
Of these, 14,619 were accepted, while 7,944 were rejected.
“In recent years, Canada has seen a steady rise in the number of people who have submitted asylum claims.
“This increase is driven by multiple factors, including global instability, armed conflict, and the growing number of people displaced worldwide,” the IRB said.
It, however, noted that 64 per cent fewer people submitted an asylum claim between January and February 2026 compared to the same period in 2024.
Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia currently host the largest numbers of asylum seekers.
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