Rising Asylum-Seeker Numbers in Nigeria Amid Refugee Backlog Reduction
The number of newly arrived asylum-seekers in Nigeria increased significantly in the first quarter of 2026, with a rise of 322 individuals, representing a 21% increase compared to the previous period. This information was revealed through the latest data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which tracks the movement and status of refugees and asylum-seekers in the country.
The data, obtained by Sunday PUNCH, highlights a notable reduction in the backlog of refugees awaiting formal registration during the same timeframe. The backlog dropped by 3,613 people, reflecting improved processing efficiency and efforts to manage the growing refugee population.
The figures are part of successive monthly dashboards published by UNHCR Nigeria, which monitor the total population of refugees and asylum-seekers in the country from December 2025 through March 2026. These dashboards are produced jointly by UNHCR and the Federal Government through the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI). They draw on registration records, biometric enrolment data, and field assessments conducted across hosting states.
These reports provide critical insights into the demographic profiles, geographic distribution, and new arrival trends of refugees and asylum-seekers hosted in Nigeria. As of December 31, 2025, Nigeria hosted 1,528 asylum-seekers, including individuals whose claims had been lodged but not yet determined. By February 1, 2026, this figure rose to 1,705, and by March, it stood at 1,850, indicating a net addition of 322 persons over the quarter.
However, the total refugee and asylum-seeker population in the country decreased from 142,064 in December 2025 to 138,900 by March 2026, a reduction of 3,164 persons. This decline was primarily due to the clearing of the backlog of individuals awaiting registration. The backlog, which stood at 16,672 in December 2025, fell to 16,582 in February and then dropped to 13,059 by March.
Key Drivers of Refugee Flows
According to the report, the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon is the dominant driver of refugee flows into Nigeria. The armed conflict between government forces and separatist groups has displaced over 584,000 people internally, contributing to the influx of refugees into neighboring countries. Cameroonians accounted for 119,521 of Nigeria’s total refugee and asylum-seeker population in December 2025, rising slightly to 119,641 by March 2026.
Cameroonians represent 86% of the total refugee population, the highest share recorded across the three dashboards. An estimated 1.8 million of the four million people in the Anglophone region require humanitarian support, while about 250,000 children are still affected by school closures as a direct result of the conflict, which has now entered its ninth year.
Data by the International Crisis Group indicates that in 2026 alone, an estimated 2.9 million people in Cameroon, including 1.5 million children, required humanitarian assistance, with the highest severity of need concentrated in the Far North, North-West, and South-West regions. These areas are the primary sources of refugees flowing into Nigeria.
Geographic Distribution and Demographics
Most of the refugee population remains overwhelmingly concentrated along the border with Cross River State, which hosts the largest share at 46,713 persons as of March 2026. It is followed by Adamawa State at 44,682, Taraba at 15,555, Benue at 8,872, and Akwa Ibom at 1,907. Ninety-five percent of Cameroonians are confined to border states.
The second-largest refugee population originates from Niger Republic, although their numbers dropped sharply within the quarter, falling from 17,104 in December 2025 to 13,449 in March 2026, a drop of 3,655 persons. The UNHCR says it has been carrying out voluntary return movements with the Federal Government and Niger Republic.
Other source countries include Syria (1,706 in March), Sudan (1,274), the Central African Republic (1,036), and others. The countries of origin expanded from 45 in December to 47 by March.
Demographically, women accounted for 57% and men for 43%, while children under 17 constitute approximately 50% of the total, and the elderly, those aged 60 and above, make up five%. As of March 2026, 20,423 refugees lived in formal settlements, down from 20,586 in December 2025.
The majority of the refugee population live outside camps, dispersed across Cross River, Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, and Akwa Ibom States, with urban populations also present in Lagos, Abuja, and Kano.
Government Coordination and Security Concerns
The Federal Government’s refugee response is coordinated under a framework involving NCFRMI, UNHCR, international NGOs, and civil society. The FG granted Temporary Protection Status to 86,000 Cameroonian refugees through June 2027, bypassing the lengthy individual Refugee Status Determination process during mass influx situations.
Speaking with our correspondent, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Singapore, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, warned that while the country must fulfill its international obligations, border control agencies must remain vigilant against infiltrators.
“Nigeria is a signatory to the appropriate international instruments, conventions, and treaties that grant favor to asylum seekers, especially those under persecution. We’re aware of all the people from Cameroon, where there’s some kind of civil unrest. The same goes for Sudan, Syria, and parts of Lebanon. Based on those international conventions, Nigeria is obliged to admit and grant them asylum.
“However, given the security situation we face in Nigeria, the relevant agencies should have their eyes peeled to watch out for people who might be used to infiltrate the Nigerian space for any negative objectives,” Amedu-Ode said.
