Nigeria, Switzerland Sign Cultural Heritage Pact as 28 Artefacts Return Home
Nigeria has received 28 cultural artefacts from Switzerland in a landmark move aimed at strengthening the protection and repatriation of the nation’s cultural heritage.
The official handover ceremony took place at the National Museum in Lagos, where the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, welcomed the Swiss Federal Councillor, Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, and her delegation.
Also present at the event was the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Olugbile Holloway.
The ceremony featured the formal transfer of the 28 cultural artefacts as well as the signing of the Nigeria–Switzerland Bilateral Agreement on the Import, Export and Repatriation of Cultural Property, a framework designed to strengthen cooperation between both countries in combating illicit trafficking in cultural objects and facilitating the return of stolen heritage.
Speaking at the event, Musawa described the return of the artefacts as more than the recovery of cultural objects, saying it represents the strength of dialogue, mutual trust and international cooperation.
She noted that the agreement marks the beginning of a sustainable partnership between Nigeria and Switzerland, focused on cultural cooperation, heritage preservation and the protection of historically significant artefacts.
The development forms part of Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to recover cultural treasures removed from the country over the years while deepening international collaboration on the preservation and promotion of its rich cultural heritage.
Nigeria, Switzerland Sign Cultural Heritage Pact as 28 Artefacts Return Home