At least 78,962 persons sought asylum in Nigeria from 2000 to 2024.

This is based on a collation of published data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for the period reviewed.

The records, compiled from its decades-long tracking of forcibly displaced populations, reveal Cameroon, Niger and Liberia as the top three countries of origin for asylum seekers during this period.

Nigeria’s National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons is the primary agency that manages asylum requests with oversight from the Nigerian Immigration Service, guided by UNHCR’s global frameworks.

Founded in 1989, during the Babangida regime, NCFRMI says it is “dedicated to ensuring that their rights are upheld and that they receive the support necessary to live in safety and dignity.”

The data showed that 52,187 Cameroonian nationals lodged the highest number of applications to Nigeria. In 2017, over 8,000 Cameroon nationals applied for asylum in Nigeria. The numbers jumped again in 2019 (over 19,000) and peaked in 2023 (over 22,000), with the majority located in Madagali, Mubi North, Mubi South and Michika local government areas in Adamawa State.

This surge coincides with the ongoing conflict in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, which began in late 2016 but escalated around 2017. Thousands fled across the border into Cross River and Taraba states, where humanitarian organisations report acute needs in shelter, healthcare, and education.

Cameroonian refugees are predominantly from the North-West and South-West regions of the country, affected by the conflict between the government and activists calling for the secession of the Anglophone regions.

According to rights groups, over 700,000 Cameroonians have been displaced since the war broke out in September 2017.

While Cameroon dominates the overall total, Niger Republic ranked second with a total of 11,327 asylum requests. 2023 figures showed a significant jump in applications from the Sahel nation, with about 9,800 requests.

Source: The Punch