Nigeria Agrees To Receive Offenders, Failed Asylum Seekers From UK

Nigeria and the United Kingdom have signed a fresh agreement that will make it easier to return Nigerians living illegally in Britain, including visa overstayers, failed asylum seekers and convicted offenders.

The pact was sealed during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to London this week. It allows Nigeria to accept UK-issued identification letters as valid travel documents, cutting out the usual wait for emergency travel certificates.

NaijaChoice News reports that the deal removes a major bottleneck that had slowed down deportations for years.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the visit historic, the first by a West African leader in nearly four decades. The agreement was signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

UK Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, described Nigeria as a vital partner. He noted that the country remains the UK’s largest African visa market and home to a huge Nigerian diaspora.

Tunji-Ojo reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to responsible migration. He stressed that strong bilateral ties must rest on transparency, fairness and mutual respect.

The framework goes beyond returns. Both countries will now run joint operations and share intelligence to smash criminal gangs behind fake job offers, sham marriages and forged papers.

A new standardised verification system will also be rolled out to tighten visa checks. Nigeria is expected to tighten its own laws with heavier penalties for immigration offences.

Officials on both sides say the partnership promotes safe, orderly and well-managed migration. Recent figures show annual returns to Nigeria have almost doubled to about 1,150, while the UK has carried out nearly 60,000 removals of illegal migrants and foreign offenders since the 2024 election.

The new deal comes after Britain scrapped its controversial Rwanda migration plan following legal battles and a change of government.

Stakeholders see the Nigeria-UK arrangement as a possible template for future bilateral pacts across Africa and beyond. It balances border control with fairness while protecting legitimate travellers and investors.