A total of 22,619 Nigerians applied for asylum in the United Kingdom between 2010 and 2024, according to newly released Asylum and Resettlement statistics by the UK Home Office.
Nigerians accounted for one in every 30 asylum claims over the 14-year period, placing them 11th on the UK’s asylum rankings. Notably, the number of Nigerian asylum seekers nearly doubled in 2024, rising to 2,841 from 1,462 in 2023.
The Home Office revealed that 2024 recorded the highest number of total asylum claims in the UK—108,138 applications—representing a 378% increase from 2010. Most applicants originated from South Asia and the Middle East, with Iran topping the list at 75,737 claims, followed by Pakistan (57,621), and Afghanistan (54,363).
Other top source countries included Albania, Iraq, Eritrea, Syria, Bangladesh, Sudan, and India. Nigeria ranked just above Sri Lanka, Vietnam, China, and Turkey.
Analysts link the spike in Nigerian claims to escalating insecurity and economic hardship, including insurgency, kidnapping, banditry, and the naira’s sharp devaluation in 2023. “We have a challenge. Since Nigeria is becoming inhospitable, especially for young people with no opportunities, there is desperation to go abroad,” said Charles Onunaiju, Director of the Centre for China Studies in Abuja.
Reports suggest many young Nigerians now use asylum as an entry strategy—often switching from student or skilled worker visas, or arriving irregularly via Europe. Common grounds for asylum include threats of kidnapping, communal violence, political persecution under cybercrime laws, and discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Under UK law, asylum seekers must show a “well-founded fear of persecution” on specific grounds such as race, religion, or political opinion. Though the Illegal Migration Act 2023 renders claims from safe third countries inadmissible, the government’s plan to deport applicants to Rwanda remains stalled by legal battles.
Abuja-based development economist, Dr. Aliyu Ilias, warned of a growing brain drain. “It’s definitely a cause of concern because this includes our professionals who are moving, and it takes a whole lot to train these professionals,” he said. “So, it is total brain drain in the long run and for the economy, it is reducing our GDP.”
