The United Kingdom has reached a new agreement with Nigeria aimed at making it easier to return migrants who have no legal right to remain in the country.
The deal was announced during the official visit of Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London. The visit has been described as historic, marking the first time in decades that a West African leader has made a state visit to the UK.
Under the new arrangement, Nigeria will now accept UK-issued identification documents known as “letters” for deportations. This means migrants without valid passports can be returned more quickly, without waiting for emergency travel documents to be processed.
According to the UK Home Office, the agreement will help speed up the return of visa overstayers, foreign offenders, and failed asylum seekers. Officials say the number of returns to Nigeria has already increased, reaching about 1,150 in the past year.
Both countries have also agreed to strengthen cooperation on tackling illegal migration. This includes sharing intelligence and launching joint operations to target criminal networks involved in visa fraud, human trafficking, and other immigration-related crimes.
Authorities say the deal will introduce a new system to better verify documents used in visa applications. This follows concerns over cases involving fake job offers, sham marriages, and forged financial records.
In addition, Nigeria is expected to review its laws to ensure stricter penalties for immigration-related offences. UK officials say this step will help discourage abuse of migration systems.
UK Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris described Nigeria as a key partner, noting that it is the UK’s largest visa market in Africa and home to many Nigerians who live and work in Britain.
Beyond migration, the two countries also agreed to deepen cooperation in areas such as trade, infrastructure, defence, and security. They pledged to work together to address wider issues like transnational crime and terrorism.
As part of the visit, a separate £746 million deal was announced to support the upgrade of major ports in Lagos. The project will be backed by UK Export Finance and is expected to benefit both British companies and Nigeria’s economy.
The visit also included ceremonial events, with King Charles III hosting a state banquet at Windsor Castle. Special arrangements were made in respect of Ramadan, as President Tinubu is observing the fasting period.
The agreement comes at a time of ongoing security challenges in Nigeria, including recent attacks linked to the extremist group Boko Haram in the northeastern region of the country.
Overall, the new migration deal signals closer ties between the UK and Nigeria, with both governments aiming to improve border control while strengthening their broader partnership.