Nigerians Seek Asylum in Netherlands: 1,917 Applications

According to data from the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service, 1,917 Nigerians applied for asylum in the Netherlands in 2024 and 2025. The figures, compiled for the AIDA project by the Dutch Council for Refugees and VluchtelingenWerk Nederland, show a year-on-year increase in applications.

In 2024, there were 931 applications, including 770 first-time and 161 subsequent applicants. This number rose to 986 in 2025, comprising 813 first-time and 173 subsequent applicants, marking a 5.9% increase.

Nigeria was among the top 10 countries of origin for asylum seekers in both years, ranking ninth in 2024 and sixth in 2025. The report also indicated that 515 first-instance decisions were made regarding Nigerian applicants in 2025, with 425 rejections (83%), 65 grants of refugee status (13%), and 10 receiving subsidiary protection (2%).

The figures do not include family reunification cases, suggesting the actual number of Nigerians in the Netherlands may be higher.