Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Nigeria
Nigeria: Refugee population by country or territory of asylum was 123,848 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Nigeria, 1976–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 123,848 for refugee population by country or territory of asylum in 2025. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 28.5% on the previous year and up 8,829.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Nigeria peaked at 123,848 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 50, in 1976.
That places Nigeria 47th out of 183 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 50 | — |
| 1977 | 300 | +500.0% |
| 1978 | 370 | +23.3% |
| 1979 | 400 | +8.1% |
| 1980 | 100,000 | +24900.0% |
| 1981 | 89,570 | -10.4% |
| 1982 | 5,240 | -94.1% |
| 1983 | 4,620 | -11.8% |
| 1984 | 4,570 | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 5,880 | +28.7% |
| 1986 | 4,760 | -19.0% |
| 1987 | 5,100 | +7.1% |
| 1988 | 5,173 | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 3,781 | -26.9% |
| 1990 | 3,571 | -5.6% |
| 1991 | 3,573 | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 4,782 | +33.8% |
| 1993 | 4,819 | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 6,025 | +25.0% |
| 1995 | 8,118 | +34.7% |
| 1996 | 8,486 | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 9,071 | +6.9% |
| 1998 | 6,782 | -25.2% |
| 1999 | 6,942 | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 7,271 | +4.7% |
| 2001 | 7,201 | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 7,353 | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 9,173 | +24.8% |
| 2004 | 8,395 | -8.5% |
| 2005 | 9,017 | +7.4% |
| 2006 | 8,761 | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 8,463 | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 10,127 | +19.7% |
| 2009 | 9,129 | -9.9% |
| 2010 | 8,744 | -4.2% |
| 2011 | 8,803 | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 3,151 | -64.2% |
| 2013 | 1,688 | -46.4% |
| 2014 | 1,237 | -26.7% |
| 2015 | 1,387 | +12.1% |
| 2016 | 1,357 | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 1,910 | +40.8% |
| 2018 | 34,727 | +1718.2% |
| 2019 | 54,157 | +56.0% |
| 2020 | 66,056 | +22.0% |
| 2021 | 77,132 | +16.8% |
| 2022 | 91,275 | +18.3% |
| 2023 | 69,940 | -23.4% |
| 2024 | 96,387 | +37.8% |
| 2025 | 123,848 | +28.5% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 123,848 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8,620, 14.4× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 123,848 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 35,241, 3.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +24900.0% | 400 | 100,000 |
| 2018 | +1718.2% | 1,910 | 34,727 |
| 1977 | +500.0% | 50 | 300 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 280 | 50 | 400 | 4 |
| 1980s | 22,869 | 3,781 | 100,000 | 10 |
| 1990s | 6,217 | 3,571 | 9,071 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8,489 | 7,201 | 10,127 | 10 |
| 2010s | 11,716 | 1,237 | 54,157 | 10 |
| 2020s | 87,440 | 66,056 | 123,848 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More population data for Nigeria
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0306 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0306 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1509 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 377,460 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.22 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5063 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.023 (2100)
- Population density 523.46 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 32.05 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Nigeria?
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Nigeria was 123,848 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugee population by country or territory of asylum recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 123,848 in 2025.
- What is the lowest refugee population by country or territory of asylum recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 50 in 1976.
- How does Nigeria rank for refugee population by country or territory of asylum?
- Nigeria ranks 47th out of 183 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugee population by country or territory of asylum rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8,829.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Refugee population by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).