Nigeria and the European Union have renewed efforts to deepen cooperation on migration, including moves to conclude the long-pending EU-Nigeria Readmission Agreement.
The development followed a meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
According to a statement by the minister’s Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Dr Magnus Eze, Brunner stressed the need to finalise the readmission agreement, which was initiated in 2016 and has been the subject of extensive discussions between Nigeria and the EU.
The issue was also discussed during the 8th Nigeria-EU Ministerial Dialogue in March 2026.
Brunner said concluding the agreement would “provide a basis for broader cooperation between Nigeria and the EU on migration.”
Nigeria Seeks Reintegration Support and Legal Migration Routes
During the meeting, Odumegwu-Ojukwu emphasised that any expanded migration partnership should address the needs of Nigerians returning to the country.
She called for stronger reintegration support for returnees, assistance for infrastructure development and greater access to legal pathways for Nigerians seeking education, employment and other opportunities abroad.
The minister stressed the importance of creating “structured and lawful mobility opportunities,” particularly for Nigeria’s large and youthful population.
She also emphasised that closer migration cooperation should be structured in a way that supports Nigeria’s broader development interests.
Proposed Migration and Security Framework
The EU delegation indicated that Nigeria’s concerns had been incorporated into a proposed broader Migration and Security Cooperation Contract.
The proposed framework would cover several areas, including strategic dialogue on local talent partnerships, mobility and legal migration pathways, returnee reintegration and border management.
It could also include support from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, to strengthen Nigeria’s border-management capabilities.
The two sides also explored a possible working arrangement for information exchange with Europol, with the aim of improving Nigeria’s capacity to tackle transnational organised crime.
EU Highlights Talent Partnerships for Nigerians
Brunner also highlighted the EU’s interest in expanding legal migration opportunities through talent partnerships.
According to the commissioner, such arrangements could “benefit both sides” by helping European countries address skills shortages while creating opportunities for qualified Nigerian professionals.
The approach could also help address concerns surrounding brain drain by creating more structured and regulated channels for Nigerians to work abroad.
The discussions further addressed cooperation in tackling irregular migration.
Brunner said progress in this area could “facilitate greater opportunities for legal migration,” linking efforts to manage irregular migration with the potential expansion of lawful mobility channels.
EU Commissioner Plans Abuja Visit
The meeting also opened the possibility of continued high-level engagement between Nigeria and the European Union.
Brunner expressed interest in visiting Abuja in November 2026, although the specific date of the proposed visit is yet to be agreed by both sides.
The renewed discussions reflect Nigeria’s effort to develop a broader and more balanced migration partnership with the EU — one that addresses irregular migration and return while also expanding legal mobility, supporting the reintegration of returnees, strengthening security cooperation and creating more opportunities for Nigerian professionals and young people.
