Nigeria is witnessing a staggering wave of migration as more than 36,934 citizens applied for asylum in foreign countries in 2024, according to alarming new data released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The report underscores the depth of the country’s socio-economic turmoil under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which has been plagued by inflation, mass unemployment, insecurity, and a rapidly collapsing currency.
The latest figures paint a grim picture of desperation as Nigerians increasingly seek refuge in far-flung countries despite facing staggering rejection rates.
Canada, Italy, and the United Kingdom emerged as the top destinations for asylum seekers, though the vast majority of applications were denied. UNHCR data revealed that 74 per cent of all claims were rejected, with only a handful of approvals recorded in countries like Chad and Tunisia.
In Canada, 13,222 Nigerians sought asylum, but just 2,196 were approved.
Italy received 4,292 applications, approving a mere 650 cases.
In the UK, out of 2,841 asylum seekers, only 446 were granted protection.
Elsewhere, Ireland recorded 4,037 Nigerian applications, while the United States saw 2,827 filings — but only 84 Nigerians received asylum status. The list extends across Europe, North America, the Middle East, Asia, and even parts of Africa, including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Egypt, Cameroon, South Korea, Belgium, Tunisia, South Africa, and Morocco, among others.
A former Nigerian Ambassador to Singapore, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, described the exodus as a troubling reflection of the nation’s deteriorating economic and social landscape.
> “The urge to travel out of the country is primarily a function of the performance of our national economy. The economic doldrums have pushed compatriots to get into the Japa mode,” he warned, noting that the trend will likely persist unless there is a dramatic turnaround in governance and economic management.
The mass flight of Nigerians comes despite repeated assurances by the Tinubu government to stabilise the economy, attract foreign investment, and bring relief to citizens. Yet, on the ground, reality bites harder: inflation is soaring, insecurity remains unchecked, and joblessness continues to cripple millions of households.
For many young Nigerians, asylum abroad has become the only hope for survival — a desperate escape from hunger, hopelessness, and hardship at home.
PIONEER NEWS 