By Stella Odueme
The Federal Government and the European Union (EU) have concluded negotiations on a Readmission Agreement aimed at strengthening migration management, tackling irregular migration and deepening bilateral cooperation.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced this on Tuesday when he received the EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, and his delegation at the Ministry of Interior, ahead of the formal signing of the agreement.
The agreement marks the conclusion of nearly a decade of negotiations between Nigeria and the EU.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a major breakthrough in Nigeria-EU relations, explaining that it would provide a framework for the return of Nigerians who have no legal basis to remain in EU member states while ensuring that the process is orderly and dignified.
He assured the European delegation of Nigeria's readiness to honour its obligations under the agreement, maintaining that the country does not support illegal migration or the misuse of international partnerships.
According to a statement by the Head of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Mary Ali, the minister stressed that mutual trust must underpin migration cooperation, noting that improved confidence between both parties would create more opportunities for Nigerians to migrate through legal channels.
He said the Federal Government was strengthening migration and border management through automation and the integration of national identity databases to ensure efficient and accurate identification of Nigerians returning from abroad.
The minister explained that the verification process would cover Nigerians with valid travel documents, those who had lost or destroyed their documents after travelling, and individuals who travelled without identification.
He further revealed that more than 17 billion migration records had been transferred into Nigeria's integrated system, adding that similar arrangements were underway with the United Kingdom, while discussions were ongoing with the United States.
On security, Tunji-Ojo called for increased international collaboration and real-time intelligence sharing to address human trafficking, migrant smuggling and other cross-border crimes.
He also disclosed that the number of repeat offenders in correctional facilities had declined significantly from about 13,000 in 2023 to approximately 1,600 in 2025, attributing the development to ongoing reforms in the correctional system.
In his response, Brunner described the agreement as a significant achievement in relations between Nigeria and the EU, expressing confidence that it would pave the way for stronger cooperation in other areas.
He commended Nigeria's efforts to modernise its border security infrastructure and expressed the EU's willingness to strengthen collaboration through its border management agency.
The EU commissioner identified police cooperation, the fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling, and the expansion of legal migration opportunities as priority areas for further engagement.
He disclosed that about 260,000 Nigerians were legally resident in EU member states, stressing the importance of creating more opportunities for safe and regular migration.
Also speaking, a member of the EU delegation, Johannes Lucher, said negotiations had been difficult, noting that Nigeria had pushed for broader cooperation covering anti-trafficking, anti-drug trafficking and legal migration opportunities.
He explained that discussions on these additional areas would begin following the conclusion of the readmission agreement.
Lucher also disclosed that the EU had earmarked almost €100 million in additional funding to support wider cooperation, with engagements expected to commence with relevant Nigerian migration and security authorities.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, promoting mutual trust and pursuing practical solutions to common migration and security challenges.