(NAIJA TV/FMG) – Nigeria has formally reclaimed ownership of dozens of Benin artifacts from eight Swiss museums in a landmark restitution agreement signed in Zurich, marking a significant step in the decades-long campaign to return cultural treasures looted during the colonial era.
The National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) and representatives of the Oba of Benin joined Swiss museum officials for the official transfer ceremony, which saw three institutions—the Museum of Ethnography in Geneva, the University of Zurich Museum, and Museum Rietberg—legally transfer ownership of their Benin collections back to Nigeria.
The signing follows the formation of the Benin Initiative Switzerland (BIS), a coalition of eight Swiss museums committed to repatriating artifacts taken during the 1897 British punitive expedition. The agreement honours commitments first made in October 2024.
“On behalf of the NCMM, I want to thank the Swiss for keeping their word given in October 2024 and for making today possible,” a Nigerian representative stated.
Officials expressed hope that most of the objects will physically return to Nigeria by the end of 2026. The restitution represents growing international momentum toward addressing colonial-era injustices.
