Nigeria Registers 3,613 Refugees Amid Rising Asylum Seekers

In the first quarter of 2026, the Federal Government of Nigeria registered 3,613 refugees, while the number of new asylum seekers rose by 322, marking a 21% increase. According to the latest data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the total population of refugees and asylum seekers in Nigeria decreased from 142,064 in December 2025 to 138,900 in March 2026.

This reduction is attributed to a significant drop in the backlog of individuals awaiting formal registration, which fell from 16,672 in December 2025 to 13,059 in March 2026. The majority of the asylum seekers are from Cameroon, accounting for 86% of the total refugee population.

The report highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Anglophone region of Cameroon, which has displaced approximately 584,000 people. The data indicates that women constitute 57% of the refugee population, while children make up about 50%.