Nigeria and the United Kingdom have signed a new bilateral agreement aimed at facilitating the return of failed asylum seekers, visa overstayers, and convicted foreign offenders. The deal was formalised by Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the UK, according to the UK Home Office.
The agreement aims to strengthen migration control and bilateral cooperation, allowing the UK to return thousands of individuals with no legal right to remain in the country. This includes failed asylum seekers, foreign national offenders, and visa overstayers. New administrative measures under the deal are designed to streamline deportation processes.
A notable provision enables Nigeria to accept “UK letters,” alternative identification documents issued to individuals without valid passports, in lieu of standard travel documents—a first for the arrangement. The measure addresses a bureaucratic bottleneck that previously delayed returns.
While the start date, duration, and financial terms were not disclosed, UK authorities estimate that around 961 Nigerians have exhausted their asylum appeal rights, with an additional 1,110 Nigerian offenders awaiting deportation. The agreement is expected to accelerate these removals significantly.
Speaking on the deal, Tunji-Ojo emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to international obligations and responsible migration management. “We are totally committed to being a responsible country in fulfilling our core obligations. To sustain that relationship, we must be as open and as fair as possible,” he said.
UK Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, described Nigeria as a key partner in addressing illegal migration, noting that the country is the UK’s largest visa market in Africa. “Anyone who abuses our system, breaks our laws or attempts to circumvent immigration rules will be removed,” he said.
The agreement also includes joint operations and intelligence-sharing to combat organised immigration crime, targeting networks involved in visa fraud, sham marriages, and forged financial records. Nigeria is expected to review its legal framework to strengthen penalties for immigration-related offences.