Nigeria Logs Over 22,000 Asylum Applications to the UK Between 2010 and 2024

For thousands of Nigerians seeking a better future abroad, the UK has long been seen as a land of opportunity. But for many, that journey has just become even harder.

According to the UK government’s latest Asylum and Resettlement Summary report, a total of 22,619 Nigerians applied for asylum in the UK between 2010 and 2024.

The numbers have steadily grown over the years, but 2024 marked a dramatic spike: 2,841 asylum claims from Nigerians — nearly double the previous year’s figure of 1,462, representing a 94% surge.

Behind these numbers are stories of young professionals, students, and families fleeing economic hardship, insecurity, and political instability, only to now face stricter immigration rules and an uncertain future in Britain.

Nigerians are not alone. Pakistan recorded the highest increase in asylum claims, jumping from 5,904 applications in 2023 to 10,542 in 2024. Other countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Bangladesh, and Syria also saw sharp increases.

Overall, 2024 saw the UK receive its highest number of asylum applications in more than a decade108,138 claims signaling a growing global desperation for safety and stability.

Adding to the pressure is a major policy shift introduced by the UK government in February 2024.

Under new rules, individuals who entered the UK illegally, including asylum seekers, are now automatically barred from applying for British citizenship, even if they have since attained legal status like indefinite leave to remain.

The policy, reported by Nairametrics and TravelBiz, has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups, who argue it violates the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, which protects those fleeing persecution from being punished for how they entered a country.

For many Nigerian migrants who took unimaginable risks to escape difficult conditions, the new rules feel like another closed door.

The situation has been made even tougher by an uptick in immigration enforcement across the UK.

In January 2025 alone, enforcement teams inspected 828 business locations, from nail salons to car washes, a 48% increase from the previous year. Arrests linked to immigration violations rose by a staggering 73%.