More than 300 Nigerians have sought asylum in Iceland over the past four years, according to official records from the country’s Directorate of Immigration, known locally as Útlendingastofnun.
Data from the agency’s annual report, Tölfræði verndarsviðs, shows that 331 Nigerians applied for asylum between 2020 and May 2024. The figures include 37 applications in 2020, 50 in 2021, 67 in 2022, a sharp rise to 125 in 2023, and 52 submissions between January and May this year.
After clearing a backlog from 2019, Iceland processed 96 Nigerian applications in 2020. Of these, 44 applicants received residence permits, three were granted refugee status, and 41 were approved for humanitarian leave. However, 37 applications were rejected, while others were closed under the Dublin Regulation, which transfers cases to the first European country the applicant entered.
In 2021, 60 Nigerian cases were resolved. Only three individuals were granted asylum, while 14 were denied after interviews, and 43 were redirected under Dublin rules. This brought the success rate for Nigerian applicants that year to just five per cent, as Iceland increasingly relied on EU mechanisms to shift asylum responsibilities to other nations.
Applications rose again in 2022, with 67 submissions and 76 cases reviewed. That year, Iceland granted 22 humanitarian permits (including two refugee statuses), rejected 28 claims, and transferred 26 under the Dublin system.
Humanitarian permits—which are valid for one year and offer less protection than full refugee status—remained the main route for Nigerians. In 2023, 125 Nigerians applied, influenced partly by increased post-pandemic travel and stricter UK visa rules. Only one person received refugee status, while 22 were granted humanitarian leave. Thirteen claims were rejected, and 108 cases were closed, mostly under the Dublin transfer arrangement.
So far in 2024, application numbers have dipped. From January to May, 52 Nigerians filed for asylum, while the Directorate closed 149 Nigerian cases, many of them from previous backlogs. The drop in applications comes as Iceland implemented a tougher screening policy in February, similar to stricter interview methods used in Sweden.
While Nigerians represent the largest number of applicants from West Africa, the report noted that Somalis and Eritreans still lead overall among African asylum seekers, mainly due to long-established communities in Europe and higher approval rates. Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo follow with fewer than a dozen cases each year.
Nationals from Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Eritrea, Nigeria, Russia, and Georgia made up the top countries seeking asylum in Iceland. However, rejection rates were highest among Georgians, Russians, and Iraqis.
The Directorate processes asylum cases based on the country’s Foreign Nationals Act (Act 80/2016), which aligns with the 1951 Refugee Convention, the EU’s Qualification Directive, and the Dublin Regulation.
Although Iceland receives fewer than 1,500 asylum applications annually, officials say even small increases can stretch the system. In late 2023, the Ministry of Social Affairs requested emergency funding after reaching its housing limit for asylum seekers. Nigerians reportedly accounted for about 20 per cent of the accommodation demand at that time.
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Singapore, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, linked the trend to Nigeria’s struggling economy, which he said continues to push citizens to emigrate.
“The urge to leave the country is largely driven by our economic situation. Until the economy improves, the ‘Japa’ trend will likely continue,” he said.
