LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- More than 8,500 Nigerians crossed into neighboring countries in six months to escape growing insecurity in parts of the North-East and North-West.
According to newly analysed displacement data from the UNHCR Nigeria, between December 2025 and May 2026, 8,521 Nigerians fled to Niger, Cameroon and Chad, pushing the total registered Nigerian refugee population in the three countries to 416,184.
The data from the Forcibly Displaced Populations dashboard was compiled jointly by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the International Organisation for Migration’s Displacement Tracking Matrix.
Among the three host countries, Niger Republic recorded the highest increase in Nigerian refugees.
The number of Nigerians living there rose from 258,359 in December 2025 to 268,967 by May 2026, representing an increase of 10,608 people.
The surge coincided with worsening insecurity in North-West states, particularly Sokoto and Zamfara.
During the same period, the number of internally displaced persons in Sokoto more than doubled, rising from 88,562 to 181,526.
Meanwhile, Cameroon currently hosts 125,192 Nigerian refugees, most of whom live in the Far North Region and around the Minawao refugee camp.
Chad hosts 22,025 Nigerian refugees, largely concentrated in the Lac Province around Baga Sola and Ngala.
According to UNHCR’s Nigerian Refugees and Repatriation Overview, most refugees in the three countries originate from Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, areas that have remained heavily affected by Boko Haram and ISWAP activities for more than a decade.
READ ALSO: Ndume Praises Tinubu Over Gombe–Biu Highway Project
In Niger, many displaced Nigerians are settled in the Diffa region near the border, where they live across dozens of makeshift camps spread along a major highway corridor.
Border communities such as Kuluk, Gashua, Machina and Malkotan continue to receive large numbers of refugees.
The report linked the growing movement of people to persistent attacks by armed groups.
Data cited in the report showed that at least 2,266 people were killed by insurgents and bandits during the first half of 2025 alone, exceeding the total number of recorded deaths for all of 2024.
A broader assessment covering the first two years of President Bola Tinubu’s administration found that no fewer than 10,217 people were killed in attacks across states including Benue, Edo, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara.
Security concerns were further heightened by the emergence of Lakurawa, an armed group reportedly operating across borders linking Nigeria, Niger and Mali.
Beyond security challenges, many refugees are also facing difficult living conditions. In the Diffa region of Niger, where a state of emergency has been in place since 2015, conflict continues to disrupt livelihoods and access to essential services.
According to humanitarian assessments, 63 percent of displaced persons in the area do not have enough food, while 43 percent lack adequate access to clean water.
Despite the growing refugee population, efforts to encourage returns to Nigeria continue.
UNHCR data showed that 37,911 Nigerians have returned from the three countries since 2019.
READ ALSO: Kidnappers Of Retired General Rabe Abubakar Releases Ransom Video
In 2025 alone, 26,775 refugees returned home, including more than 17,000 repatriated from Niger and over 7,000 from Chad.
By April 2026, another 3,510 people had returned, all of them to Borno State.
However, voluntary repatriation remains limited. During a visit to the Minawao refugee camp in December 2025, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum announced a N500,000 cash support package for returning households.
Even with the incentive, only 3,122 out of more than 50,000 refugees at the camp agreed to return.
A separate UNHCR survey also found that only 32 percent of refugees interviewed across the three countries expressed a willingness to return home to Nigeria.
To address the displacement crisis, the Federal Government and development partners have expanded support programmes in affected regions.
In February 2026, Katsina and Zamfara formally adopted the National Policy on Internally Displaced Persons and state action plans aimed at finding long-term solutions for displaced communities.
The International Organisation for Migration also extended humanitarian operations into parts of the North-West.
While acknowledging that insecurity remains a major challenge, President Bola Tinubu said security agencies are making progress in restoring safety across the country.
“Our Armed Forces and security agencies have intensified operations against terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, oil thieves, and criminal networks. While challenges remain, many communities and highways are becoming safer and more economically active,” he said.
Notably, the latest refugee figures highlight the continuing human cost of insecurity in northern Nigeria, even as authorities and humanitarian organizations work to improve security, support displaced populations and encourage safe returns.
