By Margaret Ebeshi, Abuja
Nigeria and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening collaboration in areas of migration management, justice, and internal security.
The commitment was made in a communiqué signed by both countries during the Nigeria–United Kingdom Migration, Justice, and Home Affairs Dialogue 2025, held in Abuja, Nigeria.
The meeting, co-chaired by senior officials from the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UK Home Office, reviewed progress made since the last Dialogue hosted in London in March 2024, and agreed on several new measures to deepen cooperation and mutual accountability.
Both countries expressed readiness to advance Joint action on key priority areas, including the safe and dignified return and reintegration of individuals with no legal right to remain in either country, enhancing visa systems to promote trade and investment, tackling organised immigration crime, and boosting cross-border judicial collaboration.
Under the Migration framework, Nigeria and the UK reaffirmed their partnership under the 2022 Migration Returns Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and agreed to continue strengthening mechanisms that ensure fair and humane return processes.
The UK also updated stakeholders on its progress towards the full rollout of e-visas and initiatives to simplify visa procedures for Nigerian business travellers, while Nigeria shared its ongoing efforts to enhance its own e-visa system.
In the area of Visa Abuse and Border Security, both nations are committed to developing a new MoU focused on combating Organised Immigration Crime and expanding capacity-building initiatives for Nigerian officers in relevant units.
On Serious and Organised Crime, the two governments agreed to undertake a pioneering Nigerian Strategic Threat Analysis to improve intelligence sharing and bolster Nigeria’s national strategy on organised crime under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC).
The United Kingdom also formally handed over the Brighter Futures PREVENT Programme to Nigeria’s National Counter Terrorism Centre under the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The initiative, designed to steer vulnerable youth away from criminal groups, will now be domesticated into Nigeria’s national training and counter-terrorism framework, with Nigeria pledging to sustain and expand its reach beyond 2026.
Both sides recorded progress on Extradition and Prisoner Transfer Agreements, agreeing to establish quarterly working meetings to streamline extradition processes, ensure justice delivery, and review provisions of the current Prisoner Transfer Agreement in line with the Nigerian Correctional Services Act, 2019.
On Human Trafficking and Commodities Smuggling, Nigeria and the UK resolved to develop a new MoU to intensify joint operations in maritime security, customs cooperation, and counter-narcotics enforcement.
Regarding Illicit Finance, the UK reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and the enabling of illicit financial flows.
Both sides pledged to promote a more coordinated global response to illicit finance and strengthen the integrity of global financial systems.
The Dialogue concluded with both countries reiterating their resolve to implement the agreed outcomes and jointly monitor progress toward the next Nigeria–United Kingdom Migration, Justice, and Home Affairs Dialogue, scheduled to hold in the United Kingdom in 2026.