- Nigerians have been ranked high amongst people seeking asylum worldwide, especially in Europe and other developed nations in 2008, the Global statistics of asylum seekers released by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, (UNHCR) has shown.
According to the UNHCR report, the leading country with asylum applicants in 2008 was Iraq followed by Somalia. But it said Nigeria was listed among the countries recording a significant rise of more than 70 percent only in 2008.
The report has categorised the nations with the rising numbers of asylum seekers as those that have experienced unrest or conflicts in 2008.
Nigeria which has made it in the top 10 list of people seeking asylum, has emerged number one in Italy and Ireland, according to the report.
“In Italy last year alone, there were 5,333 new asylum seekers from Nigeria and 1,008 in Ireland. Italy was also the country with the highest number of Nigerians seeking asylum last year alone,” it said.
According to the report, last year, 970 Nigerians sought asylum in the United Kingdom, 765 in Canada, 801 in Spain, 500 in Germany, 535 in Austria, 746 in Greece, 436 in Norway, 223 in Malta and 988 in Switzerland.
Nigerians also made the top 10 in countries like Slovenia where seven Nigerians sought asylum, Poland, where 19 sought asylum, 27 in Republic of Korea - that is South Korea, eight in Portugal, 56 in Hungary, 18 in Bulgaria, 76 in Finland and 42 in the Czech Republic.
There were also five Nigerians who sought asylum in the extremely cold country of Iceland, the report said.
The report covered 51 industrialised countries which provided monthly data to the UNHCR.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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