Nigeria has emerged as the leading source of asylum applications in Ireland, according to fresh statistics from the country’s Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
The department’s August report showed that Ireland recorded 1,164 new asylum requests in July 2025, a drop from the 1,735 applications received in July 2024.
Between January and July 2025, a total of 7,207 applications were lodged, a 42 percent fall compared to 12,236 within the same period last year.
Nigeria led the pack with 1,083 applications, followed by Pakistan with 945, Somalia with 933, Afghanistan with 767, and Georgia with 462.
The report also pointed to progress in clearing Ireland’s asylum backlog.
At the end of September 2024, there were 23,863 pending cases at the International Protection Office, but by July 2025, the figure had reduced to 18,323.
Authorities attributed the development to an increase in resolved cases, with 1,755 applications concluded in July 2025 compared to 1,294 in July 2024.
They noted, however, that the data, extracted on August 8, was operational and subject to adjustments as processing continues.
In contrast, the United Kingdom is still battling record high asylum numbers, with nearly 89,000 applications filed in the year to June 2025 and more than 224,000 cases awaiting decisions or appeals.
