According to data from its yearly statistical report, Tölfraeði verndarsviðs, Iceland’s Directorate of Immigration, Útlendingastofnun, revealed that since 2020, it has received 331 asylum claims from Nigerian people, PUNCH News reports.
With 37 applications in 2020, 50 in 2021, and 67 in 2022, the breakdown shows a modest start before a dramatic post-COVID spike to 125 submissions in 2023. 52 Nigerian applications have already been received by the agency in the first five months of 2024 alone, indicating that Iceland is still a popular refuge destination.
In 2020, Iceland handled 96 Nigerian cases, leading to 41 humanitarian visas, three refugee recognitions, and 44 residence permits, clearing its 2019 asylum backlog. Nevertheless, 37 applications were rejected, while others were redirected and administratively closed in accordance with the Dublin Regulation, which mandates that asylum seekers submit their applications in the first EU or Schengen nation they enter.
Iceland handled 60 cases from Nigeria in 2021. Only three refugee statuses were given by the nation, 14 petitions were denied following in-depth interviews, and 43 cases were moved to other European nations in accordance with the Dublin Rules. Due to Iceland’s greater reliance on EU burden-sharing arrangements, especially as a smaller Schengen state, the success percentage for Nigerian asylum seekers that year dropped to just 5%.
While 76 papers pertaining to Nigeria were handled in 2022, 67 applications for asylum were made by Nigerian nationals, suggesting that some cases from prior years were carried over. While 28 petitions were rejected, the Directorate issued 22 permits, including 20 humanitarian visas and two refugee protections. According to the Dublin system, 26 more applications were sent to other European nations.
Nigeria is not one of the most common countries of origin for asylum seekers in Iceland, but the steady growth in applications is indicative of broader patterns of increased African migration to northern Europe, particularly following the lifting of travel restrictions during the pandemic. Known for its stringent asylum processing procedures and rather tiny immigrant population, Iceland has continuously stressed adherence to EU-wide influx management systems.
According to analysts, a mix of economic instability, insecurity, and displacement caused by climate change in some regions of West Africa, as well as heightened awareness of asylum routes via unofficial migrant networks, may be the cause of the spike in applications from Nigerian nationals.
The country’s tight asylum policies, limited resettlement capacity, and preference for humanitarian over complete refugee protection have made successful claims extremely unusual, especially for Nigerian applicants, despite Iceland’s picturesque appeal and stable economy.
In order to guarantee prompt and equitable processing of claims, immigration officials have indicated plans to examine current partnerships within the Schengen framework as of mid-2024 and are still keeping an eye on inflow trends.
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