Canada has granted refugee protection to 7,643 Nigerians between January 2024 and June 2026, according to data from the country’s Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).
The figures showed that Nigerians recorded the highest number of successful asylum applications among African nationals during the 30-month period, ahead of Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Ghana.
However, Canadian authorities rejected 3,080 Nigerian asylum applications during the same period, while another 1,530 cases were withdrawn or abandoned.
The data, as reported by Nigerian media, also placed Nigeria among the leading countries worldwide in terms of successful refugee protection claims in Canada.
A breakdown of the figures showed that Canada granted asylum to 2,230 Nigerians in 2024. The number increased to 3,463 in 2025, representing a rise of about 55 per cent.
Between January and June 2026, another 1,950 Nigerians received refugee protection from the Canadian authorities.
The figures indicated that thousands of Nigerians sought protection in Canada during the period, although not all applicants were successful.
Nigeria Leads African Countries In Successful Asylum Claims
The IRB data showed that Nigeria recorded more successful asylum applications than any other African country in 2025.
Uganda followed with 2,089 approved applications, while Kenya recorded 1,532 and Ethiopia had 1,522. Ghana recorded 1,084 successful applications during the year.
Other African countries that secured refugee protection for their citizens included Cameroon, with 742 approvals; the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 732; and Rwanda, with 710.
The trend continued in the first half of 2026, when 1,950 Nigerians received refugee protection.
During the same period, Kenya recorded 703 successful applications, Ghana had 603, and Uganda secured 521 approvals.
The Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 412 successful applications, while Rwanda had 389, Ethiopia recorded 378 and Cameroon secured 300.
Across the entire 30-month period, Uganda recorded 3,943 successful applications, followed by Kenya with 3,888, Ethiopia with 2,982 and Ghana with 2,000.
The Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 1,867 approvals, while Rwanda had 1,699 and Cameroon recorded 1,643.
Nigeria’s 7,643 successful applications remained higher than the figures recorded by the other African countries listed.
Canada Rejects 3,080 Nigerian Applications
Despite the high number of successful applications, thousands of Nigerians failed to obtain refugee protection in Canada.
The IRB data showed that 3,080 Nigerian asylum claims were rejected between January 2024 and June 2026, the highest number among the African countries highlighted in the report.
The Democratic Republic of Congo followed with 1,230 rejected applications, while Ghana recorded 885 and Kenya had 639.
Senegal recorded 595 rejections, Angola had 442, while Chad and Cameroon each recorded 343.
A breakdown of Nigerian cases showed that Canadian authorities concluded 3,249 applications in 2024. Of these, 2,230 were approved and 811 were rejected, while the remaining cases were withdrawn or abandoned.
In 2025, the number of concluded Nigerian cases rose to 5,039. The authorities approved 3,463 applications, representing approximately 68.7 per cent of the cases concluded, while 1,377 were rejected.
During the first six months of 2026, Canada concluded 3,965 Nigerian asylum cases, approving 1,950 applications and rejecting 892.
Overall, the figures showed that 12,253 Nigerian asylum cases were concluded during the 30-month period.
Thousands Of Nigerian Asylum Cases Await Decisions
The report also highlighted the pressure on Canada’s refugee determination system, with thousands of Nigerian applicants waiting for decisions on their cases.
As of December 31, 2024, the Immigration and Refugee Board had 19,889 Nigerian cases awaiting decisions. The backlog was nearly six times the number of Nigerian cases concluded during that year.
The pressure continued in 2025, when Canada received 107,802 new refugee claim referrals to its Refugee Protection Division.
By December 31, 2025, a total of 299,614 refugee claims involving applicants from different countries remained pending.
The figures reflected the growing workload facing Canadian authorities as they processed applications from people seeking international protection.
Nigerians Account For 6.4 Per Cent Of Global Approvals
The report further showed that Canada concluded 79,462 refugee claims worldwide in 2025, granting protection to 50,067 applicants and rejecting 14,619.
The 3,463 successful Nigerian applications accounted for approximately 6.9 per cent of all refugee protection grants recorded globally that year.
In the first half of 2026, Canadian authorities approved 22,109 out of 49,960 refugee claims concluded worldwide.
The 1,950 successful Nigerian applications represented about 8.8 per cent of all refugee protection grants recorded during the period.
Across the full 30 months, Canada concluded 202,878 refugee claims involving applicants from different countries. Of these, 118,656 were approved, while 34,546 were rejected.
Nigeria’s 7,643 successful applications accounted for approximately 6.4 per cent of all refugee protection grants recorded worldwide during the period.
African countries collectively received an estimated 35,000 grants, representing about 29.5 per cent of the global total. Nigeria accounted for roughly one in every five successful refugee protection claims granted to African nationals.
How Canada’s Asylum System Works
Canada’s refugee determination system is managed by the Immigration and Refugee Board, an independent federal body established under the country’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
The board’s Refugee Protection Division is responsible for hearing and deciding asylum applications submitted by eligible individuals in Canada or at its ports of entry.
Under the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention, applicants may qualify for refugee protection if they face persecution in their home countries because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group.
Canada also provides protection for eligible individuals who may face torture, death or cruel and unusual punishment if returned to their countries of origin.
Applicants are required to provide evidence to support their claims. They may inform the Canada Border Services Agency when they arrive at a port of entry or report to an immigration officer after entering the country.
Eligible applications are then referred to the Refugee Protection Division for assessment and a decision.
Applicants whose claims are rejected may be able to appeal to the Refugee Appeal Division, depending on their eligibility. In certain circumstances, they may also seek judicial review at the Federal Court or apply for a pre-removal risk assessment.
These procedures provide additional legal avenues for eligible applicants to challenge decisions or demonstrate the risks they could face if returned to their home countries.
The figures highlight the number of Nigerians who have obtained refugee protection in Canada, while also showing the substantial number of applications that have been rejected, withdrawn or left awaiting decisions.
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