Nigerians filed the most asylum applications in Ireland this year, even as overall claims dropped by 42 percent.
Nigeria has emerged as the top country of origin for asylum seekers in Ireland, according to figures from the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. A report released in August showed that asylum applications in Ireland dropped significantly, with 7,207 lodged between January and July 2025, compared to 12,236 during the same period last year — a 42 percent decline.
Despite the fall, Nigerians accounted for the highest number of applications at 1,083, followed by Pakistan (945), Somalia (933), Afghanistan (767) and Georgia (462). “The number of applications pending in the IPO has been reducing since the end of September 2024, when it stood at 23,863. As of July this year, there were 18,323 applications pending,” the report stated.
The department added that 1,755 cases were closed off in July 2025, up from 1,294 in July 2024. Meanwhile, the UK reported record-high asylum applications with nearly 89,000 in the year to June 2025.