Senior Nigerian and British officials convened in London this week for the annual Migration, Justice, and Home Affairs dialogue, reaffirming the strong bilateral relationship between the two nations. The talks, co-chaired by the UK Home Office and Nigerian delegation, yielded commitments across a range of priority areas of mutual interest. Both sides commended the existing collaboration on migration management and countering organised crime. They agreed to raise awareness within each country of their respective internal systems and cultures. On serious and organised crime, the UK and Nigeria expressed appreciation for ongoing efforts to prevent youth involvement in criminality, intercept human and commodity trafficking rings, and explore new avenues to combat online fraud together.
The improved engagement and information sharing between the two governments was recognised, with pledges to proactively engage relevant authorities to resolve outstanding issues and promote joint work publicly. The significance of returning nationals without legal residency in each other’s territories was mutually agreed, and facilitated by the 2022 Migration Partnership Memorandum of Understanding. Progress was welcomed towards a criminal record data-sharing arrangement through recent technical working groups, with both sides committing to exploring a deeper migration partnership built on these foundations.
“The collaborative efforts underscore our shared commitment to tackle crime and destabilising factors head-on, highlighting the depth of the UK-Nigeria relationship,” a joint statement read. Further meetings will assess progress ahead of next year’s annual talks to be hosted by Nigeria. British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, stated, “I am pleased that the UK/Nigeria partnership continues to grow, including on important issues of migration and countering criminality. Last week we reaffirmed our commitment to disrupt organised crime groups facilitating illicit trafficking, tackle illegal migration, and ensure legitimate travel between our countries. We look forward to building our partnership further.”
