Photo: The flag of Europe, flown by the European Union — Wikimedia Commons
Nigeria and the European Union have finalised a readmission agreement on migration, closing negotiations that lasted about a decade, the Federal Government announced on Tuesday — ahead of the agreement's formal signing.
Minister of Interior Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo disclosed the development at a meeting in Abuja with the EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, and his delegation, according to a statement by the Ministry's Head of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Mary Ali. The EU has also made available almost 100 million euros in additional funding for broader cooperation with Nigeria.
- The agreement covers returns of Nigerians with no legal grounds to remain in EU member states
- About 260,000 Nigerians are legally resident in the EU, Commissioner Brunner noted
- Nigeria says more than 17 billion migration records have been moved into an integrated system
What the readmission agreement covers
Tunji-Ojo said the agreement would facilitate the return of Nigerians who have no legal grounds to remain in EU member states, while strengthening mutual trust and promoting responsible, orderly and dignified migration management.
He identified three categories of persons who could be subject to readmission: Nigerians with valid travel documents; those who travelled with valid documents but subsequently lost or destroyed them; and individuals who travelled without any form of identification. To handle identification, Nigeria is automating its migration processes and integrating national identity databases, so authorities can verify the nationality of persons being returned more quickly and accurately.
The minister assured the EU delegation that Nigeria would honour every provision of the agreement, and noted that similar arrangements are already being implemented with the United Kingdom, while discussions are ongoing with the United States.
What the EU said about the deal and the funding
Brunner described the finalisation as a significant development in Nigeria-EU relations and a foundation for expanded cooperation in other strategic areas, commending Nigeria's efforts to modernise its border security architecture.
A member of the EU delegation, Jonannes Lucher, disclosed that the EU had made available almost 100 million euros in additional funding to support broader cooperation, with discussions on how the funding will be used scheduled to begin with Nigerian migration and security officials. He said talks on areas Nigeria sought to include — combating human trafficking and drug trafficking, and promoting legal migration pathways — would commence following the conclusion of the readmission agreement.
Tunji-Ojo also disclosed that repeat offenders in Nigeria's correctional system had fallen from approximately 13,000 in 2023 to about 1,600 in the previous year.
What happens next
The agreement has been finalised ahead of its formal signing — it has not yet been signed. After signing, both sides are expected to open the follow-on discussions on anti-trafficking cooperation, legal migration pathways and the use of the almost 100-million-euro funding package.
Credit: Ministry of Interior statement of November 10, 2026, as reported by People and Power Magazine and Vanguard.
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