LAGOS MARCH 20TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Nigeria has agreed to take back more of its nationals from the United Kingdom (UK) under a new migration arrangement that is expected to fast-track the return of failed asylum seekers, visa overstayers and convicted offenders.
The deal, signed in London by Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit, introduces a key administrative change that could significantly increase removals.
At the centre of the agreement is Nigeria’s decision to recognise UK-issued identification letters for deportees who lack valid passports, a shift from its previous reliance on emergency travel documents. British authorities say the move eliminates a major bottleneck that has long delayed returns.
With that hurdle cleared, nearly 1,000 Nigerians who have exhausted asylum appeals and over 1,100 convicted offenders currently awaiting deportation could now be removed more quickly, according to figures cited in UK reports.
The agreement also gives the UK broader scope to return visa overstayers, underscoring what officials describe as “wide flexibility” in enforcement.
While the timeline and financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, the arrangement echoes a previous and ultimately abandoned deportation pact between the UK and Rwanda, which had involved hundreds of millions of pounds before being scrapped by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as “dead”.
According to a statement by Presidential aide, Dada Olusegun, the new Nigeria deal will apply strictly to Nigerian nationals .
Olusegun wrote on X: “Nigeria has over a thousand of its citizens whose stay in the UK has either expired or were awaiting deportation due to one offence or the other. These are our brothers and sisters who are no more wanted over there and whether we like it or not, home is the next destination and yesterday was an opportunity to finalize how their ‘gracious japada’ will be managed between both nations.
“For context, the agreement guarantees that returnees will be treated with dignity, rights retention under domestic law, and may re-enter in the future if they meet the applicable immigration requirements. It also provides detailed arrangements for the dignified return and reintegration of Nigerians who do not have the legal right to remain in the UK.
“This arrangement includes: the use of secured travel documentation, case-by-case identity verification, and safeguards for vulnerable individuals and potential victims of trafficking. STRICTLY NIGERIANS. The framework being misinterpreted also sets out clear definitions, scope, and areas of cooperation, including; information sharing, capacity building, training, and joint research on migration management and border security.”
Defending the agreement, Tunji-Ojo said Nigeria’s position reflects its obligations under international cooperation.
“We are totally committed to being a responsible country in fulfilling our core obligations,” he said. “And for us to sustain that relationship, we must remember: ‘He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.’ So, we need to be as open and as fair as possible.”
UK officials framed the deal as part of a broader crackdown on immigration abuse. Border Security Minister Alex Norris described Nigeria as a critical partner, noting its status as Britain’s largest visa market in Africa.
“We owe everyone across the system fairness,” Norris said, adding that “anyone who abuses our systems, breaks our laws or tries to cheat their way into Britain will be stopped and removed.”
Beyond deportations, both countries also agreed to deepen cooperation on tackling organised immigration crime. Plans include joint operations and intelligence sharing to disrupt networks linked to fake job sponsorships, sham marriages and forged documentation.
The partnership will extend into financial and cybercrime enforcement, targeting online scams ranging from romance fraud to cryptocurrency schemes. A new “fusion cell” will bring together government agencies, banks and technology firms to share intelligence in real time and respond more quickly to emerging threats.
Nigeria is also expected to review its legal framework on immigration offences, with authorities signalling tougher penalties as part of the broader enforcement push.
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