Nigeria is set to receive 119 looted Benin Bronzes from the Netherlands in June, marking a historic milestone in the country’s ongoing efforts to reclaim its stolen cultural heritage.
The National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) confirmed the repatriation, stating that the artifacts were originally taken during the British attack on the Benin Kingdom in 1897 and later found their way to Dutch collections.
Of the 119 artifacts being returned, 113 belong to the Dutch State Collection, while the remaining six were held by the Municipality of Rotterdam.
A repatriation agreement was officially signed on Wednesday at the Wereldmuseum in Leiden, the Netherlands, where the bronzes had previously been displayed.
Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of NCMM, revealed that the return of these precious artifacts is the result of years of persistent diplomatic efforts and cooperation between Nigeria and the Netherlands.
“NCMM formally requested the unconditional return of the Benin Bronzes in September 2022,” Holloway stated.
“Discussions on repatriation were reignited at the European Union and African Union conference in Ethiopia in July 2024. By November 2024, after extensive deliberations, the Netherlands’ independent Colonial Collections Committee recommended the return of the artifacts, leading to this landmark decision.”
He emphasized that the return represents the single largest physical repatriation of Benin antiquities directly linked to the 1897 British punitive expedition, with the first batch expected to arrive in Nigeria by June.
Holloway lauded the Netherlands for its commitment to justice and cultural restitution, highlighting the strong diplomatic relations between the two nations.
“This development reflects years of purposeful collaboration and mutual respect between Nigeria and the Netherlands,” he said.
“It also underscores the Netherlands’ fairness, as seen in the invaluable support provided by its embassy in Nigeria throughout the repatriation process.”
He also expressed gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, as well as Minister Hannatu Musawa, for their role in facilitating the return of the artifacts.