Iceland’s Directorate of Immigration, Útlendingastofnun, has reported that 331 Nigerians have applied for asylum in the country since 2020.
According to the agency’s annual statistical report, Tölfræði verndarsviðs, there were 37 Nigerian asylum applications in 2020 during the pandemic, followed by 50 in 2021, 67 in 2022, a notable increase to 125 in 2023, and 52 applications from January to May 2024.
When Iceland cleared its backlog from 2019 in 2020, it processed 96 Nigerian cases. Of these, 44 were granted residence permits—three full refugee statuses and 41 humanitarian visas—while 37 applications were denied.
In 2021, out of 60 Nigerian cases resolved, only three were awarded refugee status, 14 were rejected after substantive interviews, and 43 were transferred under the Dublin Regulation, which allows smaller states to pass responsibility to larger EU neighbors.
This approach caused the success rate for Nigerian applicants to drop to five percent. However, applications rose again in 2022, with 67 Nigerians applying and 76 cases reviewed. The Directorate issued 22 permits (two refugees and 20 humanitarian), rejected 28 claims, and transferred 26 cases to other countries.
Most Nigerians have been granted humanitarian leave, which is valid for one year and does not provide full refugee status.
In 2023, influenced by post-pandemic travel and stricter UK visa rules, 125 Nigerians sought asylum. Yet Iceland deferred most cases under the Dublin Regulation, granting refugee status to just one applicant and humanitarian leave to 22. Thirteen applications were rejected, and 108 were closed without substantive assessment, mostly due to transfers out.
Early data from 2024 shows a decline to 52 applications between January and May. During this period, the Directorate closed 149 Nigerian cases while addressing remaining backlogs.
These figures coincide with a new credibility screening introduced in February 2024, modeled after Sweden’s more rigorous interview process.
While Nigerians make up the majority of West African asylum seekers in Iceland, Somali and Eritrean nationals remain the largest African applicant groups, thanks to longer-established diasporas and higher approval rates.
Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo each account for fewer than a dozen applications annually.
The highest acceptance rates are seen among nationals from Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Eritrea, Nigeria, Russia, and Georgia. Meanwhile, Georgians and Russians face the highest rejection rates, followed by Iraqis.
The Icelandic Directorate of Immigration evaluates asylum claims under the Foreign Nationals Act (Act 80/2016), which implements the 1951 Refugee Convention, the EU Qualification Directive, and the Dublin Regulation.
With Iceland handling fewer than 1,500 asylum claims annually, even a small increase strains resources. In November 2023, the Ministry of Social Affairs requested emergency funding after reaching accommodation capacity, noting that Nigerians accounted for one-fifth of the late-season housing list.
