Nigeria, EU sign deal to facilitate return of illegal migrants

The Nigerian government has signed a readmission agreement with the European Union (EU,) which would facilitate the return of Nigerians living illegally in EU member states.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced this in a statement on Wednesday.

Negotiations over the deal have been ongoing for nearly a decade as more Nigerians have migrated to Europe.

About 260,000 Nigerians legally reside in the bloc. However, an IOM report also recorded 27,234 irregular arrivals of Nigerian nationals in Europe between 2017 and March 2024.

The agreement was formally signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner. It would facilitate the return of Nigerians with no legal grounds to remain in EU countries.

Ms Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the “agreement underscored Nigeria’s commitment to the welfare, well-being and dignified return of its citizens.”

The statement also said that she “expressed confidence that the pact would serve as a catalyst for enhanced cooperation between Nigeria and the EU in areas of mutual interest, including education, capacity-building and vocational training.”

Mr Brunner described the conclusion of the negotiations as an important development in Nigeria-EU relations.

He said it could provide a foundation for cooperation in other areas.

He also identified police cooperation, the fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling, and the development of legal migration pathways as areas requiring sustained engagement.

“The Readmission Agreement is an important instrument that formalizes migration cooperation between the EU and Nigeria, clearly outlining the reciprocal obligations of both parties to the safety, dignity and human rights of their citizens during readmission processes,” the statement reads.

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Also commenting on the agreement, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said a key objective is to promote a legal and mutually beneficial migration management system.

He also disclosed that the federal government was modernising the country’s migration and border management systems through automation and integrating national identity databases.

This initiative, he said, would enable authorities to verify the nationality of persons being returned to Nigeria more quickly and accurately.

He identified three categories of persons who could be subject to readmission. These are: Nigerians with valid travel documents, those who travelled with documents but later lost or destroyed them, and those who travelled without identification.