Germany

Germany recorded a historic surge in naturalisations in 2024, with nearly 292,000 foreign nationals acquiring German citizenship – the highest number ever recorded since official statistics began in 2000. According to the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden, this represents a 46% increase compared to 2023, marking a clear upward trend. The sharp rise is attributed partly to legal reforms introduced …

Germany’s recent policy of turning back asylum-seekers at its borders has been dealt a legal blow, following a landmark ruling by the Berlin Administrative Court. The court decided that the rejection of three Somali nationals at the German-Polish border was unlawful, affirming that asylum-seekers must be processed according to EU law, specifically the Dublin Regulation. The case involved two men …

From 1 July 2025, Germany will end the remonstration procedure, a free appeal process that allowed visa applicants to challenge a rejection without going to court. Currently, if your visa is denied, you can file a written appeal (called a remonstrance) without going to court. This informal process usually takes between one and three months and gives applicants the chance …

YANA Berlin has relaunched its services to provide support for asylum-seekers and other new African migrants in the German capital on 1 April. The migrant advisory service, run by the nonprofit German-African Initiative for Development and Integration (GAIDI), operates under the motto “You Are Not Alone in Berlin” (YANA Berlin), offering guidance to ease integration. Supported by the Stiftung Berliner …

This is the second instalment in our review series of empowering publications by Maisha – African Women in Germany e.V., a Frankfurt-based nonprofit organisation dedicated to supporting African women and families. In this compact yet impactful 16-page booklet, Enjoy the Time with Your Baby, Maisha offers practical and culturally sensitive guidance drawn from lived experiences. The publication provides essential tips …

Several important legal and regulatory changes will take effect in Germany and across the European Union in June. These changes affect everything from taxes and consumer electronics to digital accessibility and maternity rights after pregnancy loss. Here’s an overview of the most important changes Tax Deadlines: What You Need to Know • 2 June 2025: Deadline to file your 2023 …

Just weeks after taking office, Germany’s new conservative-led coalition has begun rolling back progressive migration policies introduced under the previous SPD-led government. On Wednesday, the cabinet approved a bill that will suspend the right to family reunification for refugees with subsidiary protection status for the next two years This policy change will primarily affect Syrian refugees, who make up a …

Germany is increasingly becoming a diverse country, with the latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) revealing that more than one-quarter of the population has a migration background. As of 2024, 21.2 million people in Germany—representing 25.6% of the total population—are either immigrants themselves or the children of immigrants. This marks a notable increase from 2023, when individuals with …

This special report confronts an urgent and painful reality: the systemic racism endured by Black children in German schools. What should be spaces of growth and belonging too often become arenas of exclusion and trauma. Through meticulous research, this report illuminates the structural nature of this problem and offers a bold framework for change. It is based on the visionary …

Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing non-communicable diseases worldwide, affecting all segments of the population and contributing to rising mortality rates. In Germany alone, the German Diabetes Centre estimates that around 8.5 million people are living with diabetes, the vast majority with type 2. An additional 2 million people are believed to be undiagnosed, meaning the total number of the …

Foreign Ministers Yusuf Tuggar and Johann Wadephul have reaffirmed both nations’ commitment to sustainable development, legal migration frameworks and economic cooperation during their meeting in Berlin, as Nigeria seeks to position itself as a vital partner of Germany in Africa  Nigeria and Germany have reaffirmed their long-standing bilateral relationship with renewed commitments to cooperation across strategic sectors including energy, trade …

Marie Nejar, the last known surviving Afro-German eyewitness to the horrors of Nazi Germany and a revered voice in Afro-German history, has passed away peacefully in Hamburg at the age of 95. Her death on Sunday (11 May) marks the end of an era — not only as a survivor of a time that tried to erase her identity, but …

The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Germany e.V. will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 14 June in Berlin. The gathering, which will be a hybrid event, will provide members with the opportunity to reflect on the state of the organisation, discuss current developments in Nigeria and chart a course for future engagement. The 2025 AGM is especially significant …

For nearly three decades, Maisha – African Women in Germany e.V. has been at the forefront of promoting healthy living within the African community. Founded by the visionary Kenyan-born Virginia Wangare Greiner in 1996, the Frankfurt-based non-profit organisation provides support on issues such as integration, asylum, German language acquisition, entrepreneurship, psychosocial and health concerns, education and family challenges. What sets …

With the election of Friedrich Merz as Germany’s new Chancellor on Tuesday, the country enters a new political chapter — marked by a significantly tougher stance on migration. Throughout his campaign, Merz had made tackling irregular migration a top priority. Now, his new government is moving swiftly: Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has announced a series of immediate measures. At …

The city of Erlangen has bestowed its highest civic honour on Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, naming her an Honorary Citizen (Ehrenbürgerin) — a rare and distinguished recognition reserved for individuals who have rendered exceptional service to the city and society at large. The Afro-German politician “has made a lasting impact on the development of Erlangen and has promoted the well-being of …

Joe Chialo, Berlin’s Senator for Culture and Social Cohesion, has stepped down in protest over deep and controversial budget cuts to the capital’s cultural sector. His resignation, announced on 2 May, comes after months of mounting criticism and concern from artists, institutions and the wider public over drastic reductions in cultural funding. Chialo, a member of the conservative CDU and …

More than 100 demonstrators gathered on Wednesday, 30 April, outside the Representation Office of the state of Lower Saxony in Berlin. They were there to protest the fatal police shooting of 21-year-old Afro-German Lorenz A. in Oldenburg in the early hours of Easter Sunday. The protest, part of a nationwide wave of actions, was organized by Black community groups who …

Since its introduction in 2023, Germany’s Opportunity Residence Act has granted over 82,000 people with a suspended deportation order a path to legal status. A new government plan will tighten this scheme, but hope remains, reports Femi Awoniyi. Since January 2023, the Opportunity Residence Act (Chancen-Aufenthaltsrecht) has enabled people with a Duldung (tolerated stay) to receive an 18-month temporary residence …

Several important changes are taking effect across Germany in May 2025 that affect everyday life — from how passports and ID cards are issued to stricter recycling rules and new family name rights. The African Courier has summarised the most relevant updates here: Digital Photos for ID and Passport Applications Starting May 2025, anyone applying for a passport, national ID, …