Nigeria, EU Move To Finalise Re-Admission Agreement, Expand Legal Migration Pathways
Nigeria and the European Union are stepping up efforts to conclude a long-pending Re-Admission Agreement while expanding legal migration opportunities for Nigerians seeking to work and study in Europe.
The agreement, initiated in 2016, was a key focus of discussions between Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Brunner stressed the need to conclude the agreement, saying its finalisation would provide a framework for broader Nigeria-EU cooperation on migration.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, however, emphasised that any migration partnership must go beyond the return of migrants to include reintegration support, infrastructure assistance and expanded legal pathways for Nigerians.
She said structured and lawful mobility was particularly important given Nigeria’s large youthful population and should be pursued without undermining the country’s development interests.
The EU delegation said these concerns had been reflected in a proposed broader Migration and Security Cooperation framework covering talent partnerships, legal mobility, return and reintegration, border management and support from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).
The proposed framework could also include an arrangement for information exchange with Europol to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to tackle transnational organised crime.
Brunner said talent partnerships could address skills shortages in Europe while creating opportunities for Nigerian professionals and helping to address concerns about brain drain.
The two sides also discussed stronger measures against irregular migration, with the EU commissioner linking progress in this area to increased opportunities for legal migration.
Brunner is expected to continue discussions with the minister during a proposed visit to Abuja in November 2026, with the date yet to be agreed.
The engagement signals a broader attempt by Nigeria and the EU to balance migration management and returns with legal mobility, reintegration, security cooperation and opportunities for Nigerian youth.
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