Between January 2023 and March 2024, Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) granted asylum to at least 1,467 Nigerian nationals who sought refugee protection.

These approvals are part of a broader trend in which Canada has increasingly become a refuge for those fleeing persecution, with the country adhering to the United Nations (UN) definition of a Convention refugee.

Refugee protection is granted in Canada when the IRB determines that an applicant meets the criteria of a Convention refugee, as outlined by the UN and incorporated into Canadian law, or if the applicant is deemed to be a person in need of protection. However, during the same period, the IRB rejected 589 asylum applications from Nigerian passport holders, bringing the total number of rejections since January 2013 to over 12,600.

A historical breakdown of the data reveals the fluctuating numbers of Nigerians granted asylum over the years. From 2012 to 2024, the IRB approved asylum for varying numbers of Nigerian nationals, with a significant rise in approvals in recent years. In 2020, 2021, and 2022, 1,534, 2,302, and 1,315 Nigerians were granted protection, respectively. The upward trend continued into 2023, with 1,086 approvals, and 381 more in the first quarter of 2024.

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The 1951 UN Convention on the Status of Refugees defines refugees as individuals who have a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, nationality, religion, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. In Canada, asylum seekers must also demonstrate that they face the risk of torture, a threat to their lives, or the likelihood of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment if they were to return to their home country.

Refugee claims in Canada typically begin when individuals declare their intention to seek asylum to the Border Services Agency at a port of entry or to an immigration officer. If the officer finds the claim eligible, it is referred to the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) of the IRB, which then initiates the refugee protection process.

As global conditions continue to drive migration, Canada's role as a destination for asylum seekers remains critical, offering protection to those who meet the stringent criteria established by both international and national laws.