Nigeria and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration on migration management, justice reform, and the fight against organised crime, following the 2025 Nigeria–UK Migration, Justice, and Home Affairs (MJHA) Dialogue held in Abuja.
The high-level meeting, jointly chaired by Nigeria’s Ambassador Asari E. Allotey and the UK’s Ambassador Asim Hafeez, resulted in a renewed strategic framework designed to enhance security, streamline legal cooperation, and promote mutual prosperity.
Building on the outcomes of the 2024 dialogue in London, this year’s session produced significant agreements across nine key areas, including visa reform, extradition, prisoner transfers, human trafficking, illicit finance, and transnational organised crime.
A key focus of the dialogue was reinforcing cooperation on the safe and dignified return of individuals without legal residency in either country, in line with the 2022 Migration Returns Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Both nations pledged to improve operational collaboration and uphold mutual accountability in all migration processes.
The UK delegation provided updates on efforts to improve visa procedures, such as introducing e-visa systems and launching new initiatives for business travellers.
Nigeria, in response, committed to advancing its own e-visa infrastructure to support smoother travel and boost bilateral trade and investment.
On the security front, the two countries agreed to finalise a new Memorandum of Understanding targeting organised immigration crime and to expand joint training programmes to strengthen Nigeria’s investigative capabilities.
They also endorsed plans for a Strategic Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment, a first in West Africa—to support intelligence sharing and coordinated responses.
In a significant move, the UK officially transferred its Brighter Futures Prevent Programme to Nigeria’s National Counter Terrorism Centre.
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The initiative, which focuses on diverting at-risk youth from criminal networks, will now be scaled up by the Nigerian government through 2026 and beyond.
Progress was also recorded on extradition and prisoner transfer arrangements, with both sides agreeing to streamline procedures in alignment with Nigeria’s Correctional Services Act of 2019.
Additionally, the dialogue produced commitments to intensify joint efforts against human trafficking, financial crimes, and the flow of illicit goods.
Nigeria and the UK closed the session by reaffirming a shared commitment to justice, security, and economic development.
Both parties agreed to closely monitor the implementation of all agreements ahead of the next MJHA Dialogue, scheduled to be hosted by the United Kingdom in 2026.
