UK Records Over 22,000 Nigerian Asylum Seekers Since 2010
The United Kingdom has recorded 22,619 asylum applications from Nigerians between 2010 and 2024, a trend that reflects worsening socio-economic conditions in Africa’s most populous nation.
This figure, obtained from the UK Home Office’s newly released year-end Asylum and Resettlement Statistics, places Nigeria 11th among countries with the highest number of asylum seekers during the period.
In 2024 alone, 2,841 Nigerians applied for asylum, nearly double the 1,462 recorded in 2023.
Sharp Rise in Global Asylum Applications
The year 2024 marked a record for asylum applications in the UK, with 108,138 submissions—a staggering 378% increase from 2010. Most of these were first-time applicants from South Asian and Middle Eastern countries.
Iran led globally with 75,737 claims, followed by Pakistan with 57,621 and Afghanistan with 54,363. Other countries in the top ten include Albania, Iraq, Eritrea, Syria, Bangladesh, Sudan, and India.
Why Nigerians Are Fleeing
Analysts link Nigeria’s rising asylum numbers to persistent insecurity, including insurgency, banditry, and kidnappings, as well as economic downturns worsened by the 2023 naira devaluation.
Charles Onunaiju, Director at the Centre for China Studies in Abuja, explained, “Nigeria is becoming increasingly uninhabitable, especially for youth who see no future here. That desperation drives migration.”
Young professionals who initially enter the UK through skilled worker or study visas are reportedly turning to asylum options due to threats of communal violence, kidnappings, or legal persecution.
Legal and Political Loopholes Exploited
Applicants often cite political repression under Nigeria’s cybercrime laws or discrimination based on sexual orientation—grounds recognized under the 1951 Refugee Convention.
According to UK law, asylum seekers must prove a “well-founded fear of persecution” based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or group membership.
While the UK’s Illegal Migration Act 2023 aims to block asylum claims from safe third countries, the government’s planned deportation deal with Rwanda remains bogged down by legal challenges.
As a result, the majority of claims in 2024 and 2025 are still processed through the regular asylum system.
Experts Warn of Brain Drain
Abuja-based development economist, Dr. Aliyu Ilias, described the trend as a major concern, particularly for sectors like healthcare and engineering.
“It’s total brain drain. We invest heavily in training professionals—especially in medicine—only for them to leave permanently. It’s hurting our GDP,” he lamented.
He added that many who migrate never return, gaining permanent residency abroad and contributing their skills to foreign economies.
References
UK Records Over 22,000 Nigerian Asylum Seekers Since 2010