The United Kingdom and Nigeria have agreed to deepen cooperation on migration, justice and security, with a renewed commitment to tackling visa fraud, organised immigration crime, cyber-enabled fraud and drug trafficking.
The agreement followed the annual UK-Nigeria Migration, Justice and Home Affairs (MJHA) Dialogue held in London on October 6, 2026, as both countries seek to translate commitments made during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s State Visit to the UK in March into concrete actions.
According to a statement by the British High Commission in Nigeria, senior officials from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UK Home Office jointly chaired the meeting, which focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
The discussions covered improved document verification and border management, safe and dignified return and reintegration of migrants, extradition, asset recovery, prisoner transfer and measures to combat drug trafficking and cyber-enabled fraud.
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Both countries also agreed to support the development of Nigerian visa pathways for businesses seeking to invest in Nigeria, in fulfilment of another commitment made during President Tinubu’s State Visit.
Speaking on the outcome of the dialogue, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Ms Vicky Seymour, said the partnership was producing practical results on issues affecting both countries.
“The UK-Nigeria partnership is delivering practical results on issues that matter to both our countries,” Seymour said.
She noted that the two countries were working to turn political commitments into actions that would benefit their citizens, particularly in the areas of immigration enforcement, border security and the protection of legitimate travellers.
“Building on the momentum of President Tinubu’s State Visit, we are turning political commitments into action that benefits citizens in both our countries, from tackling visa fraud and organised immigration crime to strengthening border security and supporting safe and dignified return and reintegration,” she said.
Seymour added that the objective was to protect legitimate travellers while ensuring that individuals who abused immigration systems were held accountable.
“Our goal is simple: protect legitimate travellers, tackle those who abuse our systems and make both our countries safer,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Dunoma Ahmed, stressed the need for the dialogue to balance immigration enforcement with opportunities for lawful migration.
According to Ahmed, migration remains a critical aspect of relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, requiring both countries to create credible opportunities for people seeking to travel through legitimate channels.
“Migration remains one of the most important and visible aspects of the UK-Nigeria relationship,” he said.
He emphasised that discussions on migration should not focus solely on enforcement but should also promote meaningful opportunities for legal migration.
“This dialogue must both cover enforcement activities as well as ensuring meaningful opportunities for legal migration; and credible opportunities for pathways for legitimate migrants,” Ahmed said.
He further explained that the dialogue was designed to strengthen the security, prosperity and safety of both countries and their citizens.
“The MJHA Dialogue is ultimately about strengthening the security, prosperity, and safety of our nations and citizens,” he stated.
The statement highlighted the importance of the cooperation, noting that Nigeria records the third-highest volume of UK student visas globally and the fifth-highest volume of UK work visas.
The figures underscore the significance of maintaining legitimate travel routes while strengthening measures to prevent fraud and other forms of immigration-related abuse.
The proposed business visa pathways are also expected to support efforts to encourage investment in Nigeria by facilitating legitimate travel for businesses interested in exploring opportunities in the country.
The UK and Nigeria have committed to jointly monitoring progress on the agreements reached during the dialogue to ensure that the commitments translate into practical outcomes.
Nigeria is expected to host the next annual Migration, Justice and Home Affairs Dialogue in 2027, providing both countries with an opportunity to review progress and identify further areas for cooperation.
The latest agreement builds on longstanding relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, with both countries seeking to strengthen security cooperation while promoting lawful migration, trade and investment.
