Libya hosted an estimated 550,000 Sudanese refugees by the end of 2025, according to a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) outlining the regional response plan for Sudanese refugees between January and December.
The report examines the growing humanitarian and security challenges facing Sudanese refugees in Libya following the conflict in Sudan, which has triggered one of the largest displacement crises in the world.
One of the World’s Largest Displacement Crises
The report states that Sudan is currently experiencing the largest displacement and protection crisis globally, as widespread violence has forced millions to flee their homes.
Since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023, around 4.2 million people have left their homes, seeking refuge in neighboring countries including Libya, the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda.
Among them, approximately 550,000 Sudanese refugees were living in Libya by December 2025, many arriving with little more than the clothes they were wearing and facing urgent humanitarian needs.
Women and Children Form the Majority
UNHCR data shows that 89,153 Sudanese refugees have been officially registered at the agency’s registration center in Tripoli.
Women and children represent the majority of Sudanese refugees in Libya, accounting for 63 percent of the refugee population. School-aged children make up 27 percent of the total.
These figures highlight the increasing need for education, healthcare, and protection services for vulnerable groups among the displaced population.
Dangerous Routes into Libya
According to the report, Sudanese refugees enter Libya through several key entry points.
About 82 percent arrive through Kufra, a major transit hub in southeastern Libya.
Another 6 percent enter via Tobruk in the east, while 12 percent cross the southeastern border from Chad.
However, worsening security conditions in the tri-border area inside Sudan since March 2025, combined with tighter border monitoring by Libyan authorities, have pushed refugees toward longer and more dangerous migration routes.
Despite these challenges, arrivals via Chad remain steady, with between 100 and 150 refugees crossing daily.
Many of those entering Libya through Chad head to Kufra to seek humanitarian assistance, where the refugee population is estimated to range between 40,000 and 45,000 people. Others remain in southern Libya, particularly in Sebha, while some continue their journey toward major cities.
Livelihood Challenges and Registration Difficulties
The report notes that livelihood opportunities in Kufra are extremely limited and highly competitive, prompting many Sudanese refugees to move to other Libyan cities such as Ajdabiya, Benghazi, and Tripoli in search of better employment prospects and education for their children.
Registration processes also differ between regions of Libya. In western areas, refugees can register with UNHCR, while in eastern Libya registration is conducted through local authorities.
Security registration cards issued by eastern authorities previously allowed access to public services in eastern and southern Libya. However, the process was largely suspended throughout 2025 due to administrative changes, making registration more difficult.
New requirements introduced during the year included the need for a local sponsor’s documentation and a payment of 500 Libyan dinars per person. In many cases, refugees were required to register through eastern authorities, which complicated their access to humanitarian aid in Kufra and increased the risk of detention or deportation.
Health Requirements and Deportations
Additional regulations were also introduced, allowing only refugees who could prove they were free from infectious diseases to complete registration procedures with eastern authorities.
Those who failed to meet the requirements faced the risk of deportation.
According to the report, 3,642 Sudanese refugees were deported from Libya during 2025, while 2,500 others were assisted in arranging travel out of the country.
Funding Shortfalls Drive Dangerous Migration
The report warns that declining humanitarian funding has left many refugees in extreme poverty, forcing some to consider dangerous migration routes across the Mediterranean Sea.
In 2025, Sudanese nationals were among the main groups returned to Libya following maritime rescue or interception operations.
They accounted for 10 percent of the 26,635 migrants and refugees returned to Libya during the year, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Thousands of Sudanese Reach Europe from Libya
The report also reveals that 3,789 Sudanese migrants reached Italy by sea from Libya, representing 7 percent of the total 56,065 arrivals recorded up to 30 November 2025.
Sudanese nationals ranked fifth among the largest nationalities arriving in Italy from Libya during that period.
Meanwhile, 17,298 migrants arrived in Greece by mid-December 2025 after departing from Tobruk, including 6,581 Sudanese nationals, underscoring the scale of irregular migration flows across the eastern Mediterranean route.
