Over 11,000 Nigerians Don Dey Seek Asylum for Ireland for 13 Years as Applications Don Increase!

Reported by Musa Antiketu, | Journalist for Obaland magazine.

More than 11,000 Nigerians don apply for international protection for Ireland between 2013 and 2025, with official data wey show say applications don increase sharply for recent years before e decline significantly for 2025.

Review of Ireland asylum statistics and reports wey dem compile through Asylum Information Database (AIDA) show say at least 11,040 Nigerian nationals don apply for asylum during the period wey dem dey review. The figures come from AIDA’s Ireland country reports, wey dey use data from Ireland’s International Protection Office, e predecessor agencies and Eurostat.

The pattern no consistent throughout the 13-year period. Nigerian applications stand for 130 in 2013 and e don dey rise gradually for subsequent years, reach 386 for 2019. The number fall to 208 for 2020 because of the disruption wey COVID-19 pandemic cause, before e increase to 451 for 2021.

One sharp rise follow. Applications from Nigerians reach 1,108 for 2022 and increase to 2,084 for 2023. The figure then nearly double to 4,037 for 2024, make Nigerians be the largest nationality group among applicants that year. For 2025, however, Nigerian applications fall to 1,940.

The 2024 surge happen against the backdrop of broader increase for international protection applications for Ireland. The country record about 18,650 applications for 2024, na im highest level wey dem don record at that time. Nigerian nationals account for approximately 21.7 percent of applications that year, according to AIDA figures wey dem cite for the review.

Irish authorities come introduce measures wey aim to quicken the processing of applications from countries wey dey generate high numbers of claims. Nigerian applications dey prioritized from April 2024, while Jordanian applications also enter the accelerated system later that year. The Irish Government don describe the measures as part of efforts to process international protection applications more efficiently.

The reduction for Nigerian applications continue into 2025, when Ireland record about 13,150 international protection applications overall, wey represent decline of roughly 29 percent from 2024. Despite the national decline, Nigeria still dey among the leading countries of origin for applicants.

The figures also highlight the complex nature of asylum processing. An asylum application no mean say the applicant don automatically get refugee status or permission to remain. Applications fit result in refugee recognition, subsidiary or humanitarian protection, refusal, withdrawal or other outcomes, and decisions wey dem make for one particular year fit relate to applications wey dem submit for earlier years.

AIDA data wey dem cite for the review show say Nigerian applicants don historically face high rejection rates for some years, although outcomes don vary considerably. For 2021, for example, the data record substantially different outcome pattern, with significant proportion of decided Nigerian cases wey receive permission to remain on humanitarian grounds instead of full refugee recognition.

The latest figures therefore point to two simultaneous developments: one dramatic rise for Nigerian asylum applications during the post-pandemic period and one substantial decline after dem introduce faster processing measures and changes for Irelands wider international protection system.

For Nigeria, the sustained movement of citizens into international protection systems abroad also dey highlight broader questions around migration, economic opportunity, personal security and confidence for domestic institutions. However, asylum statistics alone no fit establish why individual Nigerians dey leave the country or whether every applicant meet the legal requirements for international protection.

Obaland magazine go continue to monitor migration trends wey involve Nigerians across Africa, Europe and other destinations, with emphasis on verified data, policy developments and the human and socioeconomic factors wey dey shape contemporary African migration.

Sources

– Punch Newspapers — report on the 11,040 Nigerian asylum applications wey dem record between 2013 and 2025.
– Irish Times — report on Ireland’s record asylum applications for 2024 and the effect of accelerated processing measures.
– Government of Ireland, Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration — International Protection in Numbers and related official statistics.
– Asylum Information Database (AIDA) — Ireland statistics and country reports.
– RTÉ — reporting on Ireland’s international protection and asylum trends.

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