Stricter UK immigration rules introduced in 2024 have contributed to a fresh rise in visa refusals for Nigerians, with UK Home Office figures showing 1.34 million applications denied since 2005, the majority of them visitor visas.
These places Nigeria behind only India on the list of countries with the highest number of UK visa refusals.
Data from the Home Office showed that Nigerian applicants recorded a cumulative refusal rate of 33.1 per cent during the period, more than double the UK’s global average of 14.8 per cent.
Despite the high number of rejections, Nigeria also secured over 2.72 million approved visas, making it the third-highest nationality for UK visa approvals worldwide.
According to the report, visitor visas accounted for nearly 84 per cent of all rejections issued to Nigerians.
While approval rates improved in 2022 and 2023, the trend reversed after 2024 when the UK introduced stricter immigration policies, including a higher minimum salary threshold for skilled workers and new restrictions on dependents for students and care workers.
Analysts attributed the sustained high volume of applications to Nigeria’s economic challenges and the continued “Japa” emigration trend.
They said UK authorities often scrutinise financial evidence and proof of intent to return, factors that weigh heavily on applicants from countries with high emigration risk. The report noted that refusal rates began climbing again in early 2026 amid the tighter entry requirements.
