Rising Refugee Rejections: Over 13,000 Nigerians Denied Entry by Canada from 2013 to 2024
According to a report, approximately 13,171 Nigerian nationals who sought refuge in Canada between January 2013 and December 2024 had their applications rejected by the Canadian government. This figure includes 811 rejections recorded in 2024 alone. Data from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) indicates that Nigeria ranks fifth among the top countries with the highest number of rejected refugee claims.
In comparison, Mexico leads with 2,954 rejections, followed by India (1,688), Haiti (982), and Colombia (723).
The IRB’s Refugee Protection Division (RPD) grants refugee status to individuals whose claims align with the United Nations’ definition of a Convention refugee, as incorporated into Canadian legislation. The 1951 UN Convention on Refugees describes refugees as people facing credible threats of persecution due to their race, nationality, religion, political beliefs, or membership in specific social groups, which may include factors such as sexual orientation, gender identity, and health conditions like HIV/AIDS.
To qualify for protection in Canada, applicants must provide compelling evidence that returning to their home country would expose them to torture, death, or cruel and unusual treatment. Typically, these claims are presented when immigrants contact the Border Services Agency at entry points or report to immigration officers. The officers assess whether the claim is eligible to move forward to the RPD.
Notably, over the past decade, 94 applications from Nigerian passport holders were abandoned—often due to incomplete documentation or failure to attend hearings. Additionally, 78 claims were withdrawn, and 19,889 cases remain in pending status.
A detailed review of rejections illustrates a gradual increase over the years, with 127, 241, and 248 denials recorded in 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively. Rejections surged dramatically in 2019, when 3,951 Nigerians were denied, followed by 1,770 in 2020, 1,686 in 2021, 728 in 2022, 439 in 2023, and finally, 811 in the current year.
Despite the high rejection rates, around 10,580 Nigerians were granted refugee status during this period, including a notable 2,230 accepted in the year 2024. Nigeria also ranks eighth among the top ten countries with the most claims approved.
Countries leading in accepted claims include Turkiye (4,866), Mexico (4,363), Colombia (3,340), Iran (3,200), Pakistan (2,556), Haiti (2,211), Afghanistan (1,921), and Kenya (1,653). The trend has shown an increase in accepted claims from Nigerians, with 1,534 approved in 2020, 2,302 in 2021, and 1,315 in 2022.
Imaobong Ladipo-Sanusi, Executive Director of the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation, pointed out that irregular migration driven by economic challenges often leads to rejections. To address this, she advocated for the acceptance of genuine asylum seekers regardless of their mode of migration, emphasizing the importance of understanding local refugee laws.
Economic expert Aliyu Ilias highlighted that the migration of skilled Nigerians to Canada poses long-term consequences for Nigeria, resulting in a significant loss of trained professionals who had benefited from subsidized education in their home country. He noted that this brain drain ultimately impacts Nigeria’s GDP adversely, as many of these skilled workers settle permanently abroad.
Despite Nigerians in the diaspora contributing approximately $20 billion in remittances annually from 2019 to 2021, Ilias questioned whether such inflows could make up for the potential economic impact of their absence.
Civil society advocate Deji Adeyanju voiced concerns that relying on remittances is insufficient for sustainable economic growth. He pointed out that the continuous migration of professionals leads to a weakening of critical sectors such as healthcare and education. The ongoing trend, often dubbed the “Japa syndrome,” raises pressing questions about Nigeria’s ability to retain its brightest minds amid pervasive challenges at home.
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