LONDON — Nigeria and the United Kingdom have signed a new migration and returns agreement that will allow British authorities to more quickly repatriate Nigerian nationals who have no legal right to remain in the UK, including failed asylum seekers, visa overstayers and foreign national offenders. The UK Home Office said the deal was formalised during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit, with Nigeria’s Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signing the framework.
A central feature of the agreement is Nigeria’s decision—described by the Home Office as a major operational breakthrough—to accept UK-issued “letters” as valid documentation for removals where individuals do not have passports or standard travel papers. UK officials said this removes a longstanding administrative bottleneck that has delayed returns. The Home Office said there are currently 961 Nigerian nationals in the UK who have exhausted all appeal rights after failed asylum claims, while 1,110 Nigerian foreign national offenders are awaiting deportation. Officials said the new arrangement should accelerate removals for these categories.
Beyond removals, the agreement includes expanded cooperation on enforcement and intelligence sharing. The Home Office said both countries will work more closely on joint operations to disrupt criminal networks exploiting migration pathways, including alleged fraudulent job sponsorships, sham marriages, and forged financial or employment documents used in visa applications.
London also announced a new joint initiative aimed at tackling online fraud—such as romance scams, investment fraud and crypto-related schemes—through a so-called “fusion cell” model designed to bring together government bodies, financial institutions, technology firms and telecom companies for faster intelligence sharing and coordinated action. UK border security minister Alex Norris described Nigeria as a critical partner, noting it is the UK’s largest visa market in Africa, and said the goal is to ensure “anyone who abuses our systems, breaks our laws or tries to cheat their way into Britain will be stopped and removed.”
Tunji-Ojo said Nigeria’s participation reflects a commitment to meeting international obligations and sustaining bilateral cooperation. Neither government disclosed the agreement’s start date, duration, or whether any financial terms are attached. The Home Office statement focused on operational cooperation and did not set out payments—unlike the UK’s now-scrapped Rwanda scheme, which involved substantial funding commitments.
