Nigeria has become the leading country of origin for asylum seekers in Ireland, according to the latest data from the Department of Justice, Home Affairs, and Migration.

Asylum is protection given to people fleeing danger or persecution in their home countries, and an asylum seeker is someone who has applied for this protection and is waiting for a decision.

The report, published in August 2025, shows a slowdown in new asylum applications. In July 2025, Ireland recorded 1,164 applications, down from 1,735 in July 2024.

From January to July 2025, a total of 7,207 applications were made, which is 42 percent lower than the 12,236 applications recorded during the same period last year.

Nigeria tops the list with 1,083 applications, followed by Pakistan with 945, Somalia with 933, Afghanistan with 767, and Georgia with 462. Meanwhile, the number of pending asylum cases has been falling steadily.

At the end of September 2024, there were 23,863 cases awaiting a decision, but by July 2025, this had decreased to 18,323.

More cases are also being processed and closed. In July 2025, 1,755 cases were finalized, compared to 1,294 in July 2024. The department notes that the figures are operational and may change as more cases are handled.

While Ireland sees a decline in new asylum applications, the United Kingdom is facing record-high numbers, with nearly 89,000 applications submitted in the year to June 2025 and over 224,000 cases still waiting for decisions or appeals.