Canada Granted Refugee Protection to 7,643 Nigerians in 30 Months

By: Tunji Okunlola

Canada granted refugee protection to 7,643 Nigerians between January 2024 and June 2026, more than any other African country, according to data from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).

Over the 30 months, the board finalised 12,253 Nigerian cases. It rejected 3,080 claims and recorded another 1,530 as withdrawn or abandoned.

Year by year

Successful Nigerian claims rose from 2,230 in 2024 to 3,463 in 2025, an increase of about 55 per cent. In the first six months of 2026, a further 1,950 Nigerians received protection.

How other African countries compare

In 2025, Uganda ranked second among African countries with 2,089 successful claims, followed by Kenya (1,532), Ethiopia (1,522) and Ghana (1,084). Cameroon had 742, the Democratic Republic of Congo 732, and Rwanda 710.

In the first half of 2026, Nigeria’s 1,950 grants were well ahead of Kenya (703), Ghana (603), Uganda (521), the DRC (412), Rwanda (389), Ethiopia (378) and Cameroon (300).

Across the whole period, Uganda had 3,943 successful claims, Kenya 3,888, Ethiopia 2,982 and Ghana 2,000.

Nigeria’s share of Canada’s decisions

Canada finalised 79,462 refugee claims in 2025, granting protection in 50,067 and rejecting 14,619. Nigeria’s 3,463 grants made up about 6.9 per cent of the total. In the first half of 2026, Canada granted protection in 22,109 of 49,960 finalised claims, with Nigerians accounting for about 8.8 per cent.

Over the full 30 months, Canada finalised 202,878 claims from all nationalities, granting protection in 118,656 and rejecting 34,546. Nigeria’s 7,643 grants represented about 6.4 per cent. African countries together accounted for an estimated 35,000 successful claims, about 29.5 per cent of the global total, and Nigeria contributed roughly one in five of those.

How the system works

The IRB is an independent federal administrative tribunal. Its Refugee Protection Division decides whether claimants qualify as Convention refugees under the 1951 Refugee Convention, or as persons in need of protection under Canadian law. Convention refugee status generally applies to people who face persecution because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group. Protection can also go to people who would face torture, a threat to their lives, or cruel and unusual treatment or punishment if returned home.

Claimants who are refused may be able to appeal to the Refugee Appeal Division, where eligible, or seek judicial review at the Federal Court. Other legal options may exist depending on the case.