More than 22,000 Nigerians have sought asylum in the United Kingdom over the past 14 years, according to newly published data from the UK Home Office.
The figures show that a total of 22,619 Nigerian nationals applied for asylum in the UK between 2010 and 2024, placing Nigeria 11th among the countries with the highest number of asylum seekers within the period, which details that Nigerians account for one in every 30 asylum claims filed.
In 2024 alone, 2,841 Nigerians submitted asylum applications, which is nearly double the 1,462 recorded in 2023, ranking the surge among the most significant year-on-year increases for any nationality.
The UK also recorded an all-time high of 108,138 asylum applications in 2024, marking a 378 per cent rise compared to 2010.
Read also:Â Nigerians and asylum-seeking
The largest share comes from Iranian nationals, who submitted 75,737 claims, many reportedly fleeing persecution from the country’s hardline regime. Pakistan follows with 57,621 asylum seekers, while Afghanistan ranks third with 54,363 applications, reflecting continued instability after the return of the Taliban to power.
Other countries in the top ten include Albania (50,944), Iraq (45,711), Eritrea (37,687), Syria (34,997), Bangladesh (31,744), Sudan (30,897), and India (30,179).
Nigeria ranks just ahead of Sri Lanka (22,059), with Vietnam, China, and Turkey also appearing among the top 20.
Observers have linked Nigeria’s rising numbers to deteriorating economic conditions, persistent insecurity, and the targeting of vulnerable groups, pointing to the naira’s sharp depreciation in 2023, rising inflation, and a surge in violent attacks across the country, including mass abductions, communal conflicts, and terrorist-related violence.
In addition to security-related reasons, many Nigerian asylum seekers also cite threats related to political expression, sexual orientation, and digital speech, especially under Nigeria’s cybercrime laws, as part of their grounds for seeking refuge.
Read also:Â More Nigerians tap Canada for protection as asylum requests hit decade-high
Under British law, an asylum seeker must prove a “well-founded fear of persecution” based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership of a particular social group. Applications are first assessed by the UK Home Office, and rejected claims can be appealed through the Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
While the UK’s Illegal Migration Act 2023 theoretically bars those who arrive via safe third countries from claiming asylum, its enforcement has faced setbacks, as the government’s flagship removal policy, proposing to send claimants to Rwanda, remains tied up in legal challenges and has not yet been implemented.
As a result, most asylum seekers arriving in the UK in 2024, including Nigerians, are still being processed under existing asylum protocols.
