Canada has denied refugee protection to 13,171 Nigerians between January 2013 and December 2024, according to official data from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). Hobnob News reports on the significant number of rejections and the complex factors at play.
The data reveals that Nigeria ranks among the top five countries with the most rejected asylum claims in Canada, placing fifth on the list. In 2024 alone, 811 Nigerian applications were denied.
The IRB grants refugee protection based on the United Nations definition of a Convention refugee, which includes individuals with a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, nationality, religion, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Applicants must also demonstrate a risk of torture, danger to their life, or cruel and unusual treatment if returned to their home country.
Over the reviewed period, 94 Nigerian claims were abandoned, and 78 were withdrawn. Notably, 19,889 claims remain pending.
The number of rejections has fluctuated over the years, with a significant peak in 2019, when 3,951 Nigerian applications were denied. The breakdown of rejections by year is as follows:
- 2013: 127
- 2014: 241
- 2015: 248
- 2016: 476
- 2017: 917
- 2018: 1,777
- 2019: 3,951
- 2020: 1,770
- 2021: 1,686
- 2022: 728
- 2023: 439
- 2024: 811
Conversely, 10,580 Nigerians were granted refugee status during the same period, with 2,230 approvals in 2024 alone. Nigeria ranks 8th among the top 10 countries with the most accepted claims.
Imaobong Ladipo-Sanusi, Executive Director of the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation, attributes many rejections to irregular migration driven by economic hardship. She emphasizes the importance of understanding and adhering to the laws governing refugee status in the destination country.
Development economist Aliyu Ilias expresses concern about the brain drain resulting from the emigration of skilled Nigerian professionals, highlighting the loss of subsidized education and potential contributions to the Nigerian economy. While remittances from the Nigerian diaspora are significant, they are not seen as a long-term solution.
Deji Adeyanju, convener of the civil society group Concerned Nigerians, echoes Ilias’s concerns, arguing that the loss of skilled professionals harms the country’s development. He questions the notion that remittances can compensate for the economic contributions of those who have left.
The data underscores the complex interplay of economic, legal, and social factors influencing migration and refugee status determinations.
