375 Nigerians Apply for Asylum in Sweden Amidst Rising Insecurity
No fewer than 375 Nigerian nationals applied for asylum in Sweden in 2024, according to newly released data from the Swedish Migration Agency.
The figure includes 239 first-time applicants while 136 were follow-up requests from individuals seeking to extend their temporary protection status.
A demographic breakdown reveals that most Nigerian applicants were working-age adults, with nearly half between the ages of 25 and 44.
The data also shows a significant gender disparity among first-time applicants, with women accounting for nearly two-thirds—159 women compared to 80 men.
The report notes that 60 children accompanied adult applicants, while one Nigerian child arrived unaccompanied and registered as a minor.
Analysts link the Nigerian asylum caseload to worsening insecurity, including insurgency, banditry, kidnappings, and economic hardship following the sharp devaluation of the naira in 2023.
