Italy rejected 2,220 Nigerian asylum claims in 2025, while another 4,120 cases remained unresolved at the end of the year, according to figures published in the 2025 Italy Country Report of the Asylum Information Database (AIDA).
The report recorded 3,385 asylum applicants from Nigeria during the year, making Nigeria the only sub-Saharan African country among the 10 nationalities with the highest number of asylum applicants in Italy.
However, the figures also show that thousands of Nigerians whose cases were decided received some form of protection under Italian law.
According to the AIDA statistical report on Italy, Italian authorities made 3,390 decisions on Nigerian cases in 2025. Of those decisions, 2,220 resulted in rejection, while 1,175 resulted in some form of protection.
The figures highlight the challenges facing Nigerian asylum seekers as Italy continues to process a substantial number of applications from people seeking international protection.
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1. Italy Rejected 2,220 Nigerian Asylum Claims
Of the 3,390 decisions recorded on Nigerian asylum cases in 2025, 2,220 were rejected, including inadmissibility decisions.
That represents a rejection rate of approximately 64.9 per cent, according to the AIDA data.
The figures relate to decisions made during the year and do not necessarily concern only applications submitted in 2025. Some decisions may involve cases lodged in earlier years.
An asylum rejection means the authorities have not granted the protection requested at that stage of the process. It does not automatically establish that every rejected applicant must leave Italy immediately, as legal remedies and individual circumstances can affect what happens next.
2. More Than 1,100 Nigerians Received Protection
Despite the high number of rejections, 1,175 Nigerian applicants received some form of protection in decisions made during 2025.
The breakdown was as follows:
- 660 Nigerians received refugee status.
- 55 Nigerians were granted subsidiary protection.
- 460 Nigerians received special protection under Italian law.
Together, the figures represent an overall protection rate of 34.66 per cent for Nigerian cases decided during the year. That was higher than Italy’s overall first-instance protection rate of 30 per cent.
Refugee status is generally granted to people who meet the legal criteria for protection under the Refugee Convention, including a well-founded fear of persecution for specified reasons.
Subsidiary protection applies to people who do not qualify as refugees but would face a real risk of serious harm if returned to their country of origin.
Special protection, known in Italian as protezione speciale, is a separate national protection category. Its application depends on the relevant legal criteria and individual circumstances.
The distinctions matter because not all positive decisions provide the same legal status or rights.
3. Another 4,120 Nigerian Cases Were Pending
At the end of December 2025, 4,120 Nigerian asylum cases remained pending before Italian authorities.
These unresolved cases form part of the wider backlog confronting the country’s asylum system.
A pending application is not the same as a rejected application. It means a final decision had not been recorded for that case by the reporting date.
The number also cannot simply be added to the 2,220 rejected cases to determine the total number of Nigerians who applied for asylum. The figures measure different things: decisions issued during the year and cases still awaiting a decision at year-end.
The AIDA statistics draw on figures from Eurostat’s migration and asylum database. The database notes that the pending-application data are flagged as having low reliability, a qualification readers should keep in mind when interpreting the total.
The figures nevertheless provide an indication of the number of Nigerian cases still awaiting resolution at the end of 2025.
4. Nigeria Was the Only Sub-Saharan African Country in Italy’s Top 10
Nigeria was the only sub-Saharan African country among the 10 nationalities recording the highest numbers of asylum applicants in Italy in 2025.
The data also listed several North African and Asian nationalities among the leading groups.
Egypt recorded 11,790 applicants, Morocco had 9,485, and Tunisia recorded 6,290. Nigeria registered 3,385 applicants.
The report’s figures show that the experience of asylum seekers varied considerably depending on nationality and the type of decision issued.
For example, the reported rejection rate for Nigerian cases was 64.9 per cent, while Morocco’s was 90.18 per cent and Tunisia’s was 85.41 per cent.
These figures describe outcomes recorded in the report; they do not determine the merits of any individual asylum application. Each claim is assessed under the applicable legal framework and the applicant’s circumstances.
5. Italy Recorded Fewer First-Time Asylum Requests in 2025
Across all nationalities, Italy registered 126,635 first-time asylum applications in 2025, down from 151,120 in 2024.
That represents a decline of approximately 16.2 per cent.
Despite the decrease, the country’s asylum system continued to handle a large number of claims. The AIDA report recorded 104,560 first-instance decisions across all nationalities during 2025.
Italy’s overall first-instance protection rate, including special protection, stood at 30 per cent. This was lower than the 35 per cent recorded in 2024 and the 47 per cent reported for 2022.
At the end of 2025, Italy had 234,165 asylum applications pending across all nationalities, according to the AIDA statistics.
The broader figures underline the pressure on the country’s processing system, even as the number of new first-time applications declined.
16 Unaccompanied Nigerian Children Also Sought Asylum
The report recorded 16 unaccompanied Nigerian children among minors who applied for asylum in Italy during 2025.
Unaccompanied children are young people who arrive without a parent or another responsible adult accompanying them. Their age and circumstances can raise particular protection and welfare concerns during the asylum process.
Their cases form part of the wider picture of Nigerian asylum applications in Italy, which includes adults, families and children seeking international protection.
The figures do not provide enough information to determine the individual circumstances or outcomes of those 16 children’s cases.
What the Figures Mean for Nigerians Seeking Asylum
The 2025 statistics show that Nigerian asylum seekers in Italy experienced different outcomes: some were granted refugee status or other forms of protection, others had their claims rejected, and thousands of cases remained pending.
The data should not be interpreted as a guarantee that a future application will be approved or rejected. Asylum decisions depend on the individual facts of a case, the evidence presented and the relevant legal standards.
For Nigerians considering an asylum application, accurate information and qualified legal advice are important. Applicants should ensure that their claims are truthful and supported by relevant evidence, and seek advice from a qualified immigration lawyer or recognised refugee-support organisation where possible.
The full figures and explanations are available in the AIDA Italy statistics and the European Council on Refugees and Exiles’ overview of the 2025 report.
