The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, has disclosed that Nigeria is hosting more than 142,000 refugees and asylum seekers from 42 countries, alongside more than 6.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), while more than 24,000 returnees have also been received.
Doro disclosed this while addressing the international community at the 77th Session of the Executive Committee (ExCom) of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Programme, holding in Geneva, Switzerland, from 12 to 16 October 2026.
While reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to refugee protection and the principle of non-refoulement, the minister called for stronger international burden-sharing to support countries hosting displaced populations.
Doro said Nigeria remained committed to protecting people fleeing persecution and maintaining an effective asylum system, adding that the country continued to uphold the 1951 Refugee Convention despite rising displacement and dwindling humanitarian resources globally.
“75 years on, amid record displacement and shrinking resources, the 1951 Refugee Convention remains as vital as ever,” he said, reiterating Nigeria’s commitment to international refugee protection standards.
According to him, Nigeria maintains a fair and efficient asylum system under the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) Act of 2022, with its borders open to people seeking protection from persecution.
He added that no case of refoulement — the forced return of refugees to places where they face persecution or serious danger — had been recorded in 2026.
“No refoulement has been recorded this year,” Doro said, stressing that Nigeria remained firmly committed to the principle, which prohibits returning refugees to territories where their lives or freedom could be threatened.
The minister disclosed that Nigeria domesticated the Kampala Convention in 2026, while states had begun implementing the framework for the protection and assistance of internally displaced persons. He also said the country’s pledges on statelessness and the Global Compact remained on course, reflecting its continued engagement with international protection commitments.
On voluntary repatriation, Doro said improved security conditions were creating opportunities for displaced Nigerians to return home safely.
He disclosed that more than 7,000 Nigerian refugees had voluntarily returned under tripartite agreements in 2026, while another 14,000 Nigerians in Cameroon had registered to return.
While noting that the agreement covering 2,000 refugees in Niger was being finalised, he applauded the authorities of Cameroon, Chad and Niger for their hospitality towards Nigerian refugees.
He further revealed that resettlement cities for internally displaced persons had been established in seven locations to support the phased and voluntary closure of camps while ensuring that affected persons returned or relocated in safety and dignity.
He also sought UNHCR’s support for the Digital Gateway initiative, designed to provide refugees with secure online access to essential information.
On local integration and economic empowerment, the minister said former Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees had successfully integrated into Nigerian communities, with some establishing and leading businesses.
He added that refugees in five states were benefiting from access to land, agricultural inputs and skills training, while the NCFRMI’s new Public-Private Partnership Department was working to reduce dependence on humanitarian assistance.
Calling on countries to recognise Nigeria’s Convention Travel Documents and facilitate visa access for their holders, he said displaced persons and host communities were being enrolled in the national identity system to improve access to banking, education and social services. He added that refugees were being included in state action plans and social registers, while 10 mobile documentation buses would soon extend services to remote communities.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s five pledges made in 2023 and renewed in December 2025, the minister stressed that international cooperation remained critical to sustaining refugee protection and achieving durable solutions.
“But no host country can do this alone,” he said, urging the international community to expand resettlement opportunities, complementary migration pathways and other mechanisms for sharing responsibility.
He also called on UNHCR to explore increased funding through partnerships with regional and sub-regional financial institutions, including the African Development Bank and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development.
Doro also expressed appreciation to donors for their support amid difficult funding conditions, reiterating that Nigeria valued its partnership with UNHCR and would continue to strengthen cooperation on refugee protection and humanitarian response.