Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Nigeria
Nigeria: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 478,150 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Nigeria, 1968–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 478,150 for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in 2025. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 184.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Nigeria peaked at 478,150 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1970.
Nigeria ranks 12th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 51,100 | — |
| 1969 | 2,850 | -94.4% |
| 1970 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1987 | 5 | — |
| 1988 | 15 | +200.0% |
| 1989 | 15 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 15 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 22 | +46.7% |
| 1992 | 75 | +240.9% |
| 1993 | 95 | +26.7% |
| 1994 | 587 | +517.9% |
| 1995 | 1,942 | +230.8% |
| 1996 | 4,751 | +144.6% |
| 1997 | 3,043 | -36.0% |
| 1998 | 3,998 | +31.4% |
| 1999 | 4,440 | +11.1% |
| 2000 | 5,735 | +29.2% |
| 2001 | 6,077 | +6.0% |
| 2002 | 24,559 | +304.1% |
| 2003 | 24,414 | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 23,882 | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 22,123 | -7.4% |
| 2006 | 13,242 | -40.1% |
| 2007 | 13,898 | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 14,170 | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 15,609 | +10.2% |
| 2010 | 15,645 | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 17,140 | +9.6% |
| 2012 | 18,017 | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 31,173 | +73.0% |
| 2014 | 90,936 | +191.7% |
| 2015 | 167,973 | +84.7% |
| 2016 | 229,290 | +36.5% |
| 2017 | 238,977 | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 276,834 | +15.8% |
| 2019 | 295,578 | +6.8% |
| 2020 | 352,960 | +19.4% |
| 2021 | 383,660 | +8.7% |
| 2022 | 391,120 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 410,308 | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 467,605 | +14.0% |
| 2025 | 478,150 | +2.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 478,150 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,568, 50.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 478,150 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12,726, 37.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +517.9% | 95 | 587 |
| 2002 | +304.1% | 6,077 | 24,559 |
| 1992 | +240.9% | 22 | 75 |
| 1995 | +230.8% | 587 | 1,942 |
| 1988 | +200.0% | 5 | 15 |
| 2014 | +191.7% | 31,173 | 90,936 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 26,975 | 2,850 | 51,100 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1980s | 11.67 | 5 | 15 | 3 |
| 1990s | 1,897 | 15 | 4,751 | 10 |
| 2000s | 16,371 | 5,735 | 24,559 | 10 |
| 2010s | 138,156 | 15,645 | 295,578 | 10 |
| 2020s | 413,967 | 352,960 | 478,150 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 9 Central African Republic 674,222 compare
- 10 Eritrea 554,891 compare
- 11 Mali 519,738 compare
- 13 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 417,010 compare
- 14 Burkina Faso 351,209 compare
- 15 Burundi 318,291 compare
More social development data for Nigeria
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 123,848 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 478,150 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0005 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 28.49 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Nigeria?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Nigeria was 478,150 in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 478,150 in 2025.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1970.
- How does Nigeria rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Nigeria ranks 12th out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 184.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as part of Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Refugees under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) include individuals recognized under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, the refugee definition contained in the 1984 Cartagena Declaration on Refugees as incorporated into national laws, those recognized in accordance with the UNHCR Statute, individuals granted complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection. The refugee population also includes people in a refugee-like situation, which is a category that is descriptive in nature and includes groups of people who are outside their country or territory of origin and who face protection risks similar to those of refugees, but for whom refugee status has, for practical or other reasons, not been ascertained. Refugees under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Palestine Refugees, are not typically included in the statistics on refugees (and people in a refugee-like situation) under the mandate of the UNHCR.