Nigeria has signed a new deal with the United Kingdom to allow the deportation of failed asylum seekers, visa overstayers, and foreign offenders.
The agreement was signed by Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit.
Under the deal, Nigeria will now accept UK-issued letters as alternative identification for undocumented deportees without passports.
The move removes a key barrier that previously delayed deportations.
Both countries also agreed to joint operations and intelligence sharing to tackle illegal migration and visa fraud.
Tunji-Ojo said the deal shows that “we are totally committed to being a responsible country in fulfilling our core obligations”.
“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,” he added.
UK Minister Alex Norris described Nigeria as a key partner, saying: “We owe everyone across the system fairness.”
He added that “anyone who abuses our systems, breaks our laws or tries to cheat their way into Britain will be stopped and removed”.
The agreement also targets crimes like fake job sponsorships, sham marriages, and financial document fraud.
A new “fusion cell” will bring together banks, tech firms, and agencies to combat online scams and immigration crime.
