Nigeria has received 23 looted Benin Kingdom artefacts from Switzerland, marking another significant milestone in the country's ongoing efforts to recover its stolen cultural heritage.
The collection consists of 18 Benin artefacts returned by three Swiss museums, alongside five additional cultural objects that were previously confiscated by Swiss authorities.
Widely known as the Benin Bronzes, the artefacts were looted during the 1897 British invasion of the Benin Kingdom. The collection includes intricately crafted metal and ivory objects produced at the royal court of Benin before they were taken during the colonial expedition.
The official handover ceremony took place at the National Museum in Lagos, where the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) formally received the artefacts on behalf of the Federal Government.
During the ceremony, Switzerland's Federal Councillor, Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, and Nigeria's Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, signed a bilateral agreement on the transfer of cultural property. The agreement is expected to strengthen cooperation between both countries in combating the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage and facilitating the repatriation of stolen artefacts.
Of the 18 Benin artefacts, 14 were returned by the Ethnographic Museum at the University of Zurich, two by Museum Rietberg Zurich, and two by the Musée d’Ethnographie de Genève (MEG). Their return followed years of provenance research conducted under the Benin Initiative Switzerland, which confirmed that the objects had been looted during the 1897 British expedition.
Also returned to Nigeria were a bronze bracelet and four archaeological monoliths from the Niger Delta, which had been seized by Swiss authorities during separate criminal investigations.
The newly signed bilateral agreement provides a legal framework for cooperation on the import, export, and repatriation of cultural property while strengthening measures to protect cultural heritage and prevent the illegal trafficking of historical artefacts.
Nigerian authorities described the returned objects as an invaluable part of the nation's history, identity, and cultural legacy. While some of the artefacts will be exhibited at the National Museum in Lagos, the majority will eventually be returned to their place of origin in Edo State.
The restitution ceremony was attended by NCMM Director-General, Olugbile Holloway, officials of the Swiss Federal Office of Culture, and representatives of the three Swiss museums that facilitated the return of the artefacts.
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