Why Nigeria is Defying Global Trends by Keeping Borders Open to Asylum Seekers

ABUJA — Amid growing global pressure and border restrictions on displaced populations, the Federal Government has reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to keeping its borders open for asylum seekers and protecting refugees fleeing conflict. Speaking ahead of World Refugee Day 2026, the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Tijjani Ahmed, emphasized that Nigeria will strictly uphold the international principle of non-refoulement—ensuring no refugee from neighboring countries like Cameroon or Niger Republic is forcibly returned to danger.

The Federal Government has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to keeping its borders open to asylum seekers and upholding the international principle of non-refoulement, which prevents refugees from being forcibly returned to countries where they face danger.

Speaking ahead of the 2026 World Refugee Day, NCFRMI Commissioner Tijani Ahmed said thousands of refugees from Cameroon and Niger Republic have been registered in states including Benue, Borno and Cross River, while about 3,000 Nigerian refugees voluntarily returned from Cameroon in January 2026.

Ahmed added that Nigerians abroad willing to return home would only be repatriated voluntarily and not by force.

Also, JDPCI Executive Director, Rev. Fr. Sebastian Sanni, called for greater collaboration in supporting displaced persons, stressing that “refugees must be protected. It is their right to be protected, not a privilege.”

Meanwhile, the UNHCR warned that the global right to seek asylum is under pressure, maintaining that “safety should not be a privilege” and urging countries to uphold the 1951 Refugee Convention.