Nigeria and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting security, justice, and orderly migration between both nations at the 2025 Nigeria–United Kingdom Migration, Justice, and Home Affairs Dialogue held in Abuja. The high-level meeting, co-chaired by senior officials from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UK Home Office, marks a renewed phase in bilateral cooperation following the previous dialogue held in London in 2024.
Both countries reached significant agreements across multiple areas, including migration management, justice reform, countering organised crime, and illicit finance, all underpinned by mutual accountability and partnership. Nigeria and the UK reaffirmed their operational partnership on the return and reintegration of individuals with no lawful right to remain in each other’s territories. The dialogue highlighted the continued implementation of the 2022 Migration Returns Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and agreed to deepen collaboration to ensure safe, dignified, and respectful return processes.
The UK also updated Nigerian agencies on efforts to streamline visa applications through the rollout of e-visa systems and initiatives to facilitate business travel. Both countries pledged to share experiences and collaborate on their respective digital visa systems to boost trade, tourism, and investment. The two governments announced plans to develop and sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Organised Immigration Crime, aimed at tackling irregular migration, visa abuse, and improving border security. The UK further committed to expand training for Nigerian officers in the Organised Immigration Crime Unit to enhance operational capacity and responsiveness.
A landmark decision was reached to initiate a Nigerian Strategic Serious and Organised Crime (SOC) Threat Analysis, making Nigeria the first West African nation to undertake such a project under the UNTOC Convention. This move underscores the shared resolve to counter transnational threats including drug trafficking, cybercrime, and smuggling networks. The UK also formally handed over the Brighter Futures Prevent Programme to Nigeria’s National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), within the Office of the National Security Adviser. The programme, which helps divert vulnerable youths from organised crime, will now be locally implemented and expanded.
Progress was recorded on extradition and prisoner transfer agreements, with both sides agreeing to hold quarterly meetings to improve coordination. The UK pledged to work with Nigeria on information-sharing around detention conditions and legal assurances for extradited individuals, while Nigeria proposed a review of the Prisoner Transfer Agreement to align with the Nigerian Correctional Services Act 2019.
The dialogue also produced strong commitments to tackle human trafficking and illicit commodities in the maritime domain, with enhanced cooperation between Nigerian agencies such as NDLEA, Customs, and the Navy, alongside UK counterparts. Both countries reinforced their partnership on illicit finance, pledging to strengthen investigation and prosecution mechanisms, and promote reforms in global financial systems to curb money laundering, terrorist financing, and kleptocracy.
The 2025 Dialogue concluded with both nations affirming their shared determination to build safer, fairer, and more prosperous societies through continued collaboration in migration management, justice delivery, and security. The next Nigeria–UK Migration, Justice, and Home Affairs Dialogue will take place in 2026, where updates on all commitments and MoUs will be reviewed.
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