Switzerland Returns 23 Benin Bronzes Cultural Artefacts To Nigeria

The Federal Government has formally received 23 looted Benin Kingdom artefacts and cultural objects returned by Switzerland, marking another milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing campaign to recover its stolen heritage.

The returned items include 18 Benin Bronzes repatriated by three prominent Swiss museums, alongside five additional cultural objects that were previously confiscated by Swiss law enforcement authorities during criminal investigations.

The historical collection, which consists of royal court metal and ivory objects, was originally looted by British forces during the 1897 military invasion of the Benin Kingdom.

The official handover ceremony took place at the National Museum in Lagos, where the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) received the treasures on behalf of Nigeria.

During the event, 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 pact strengthens international cooperation to prevent the illegal trafficking of historical items.

Out of the 18 Benin artefacts, 14 were returned by the Ethnographic Museum at the University of Zurich, two by the Museum Rietberg Zurich, and two by the Musée d’Ethnographie de Genève (MEG). The restitution followed years of detailed background research under the Benin Initiative Switzerland, which verified that the items were stolen during the colonial expedition.

The additional items handed over include a historical bronze bracelet and four archaeological monoliths from the Niger Delta region.

Reacting to the development, Nigerian heritage officials stated that the returned treasures represent an invaluable part of the nation’s history and identity. While some of the objects will be displayed at the National Museum in Lagos, authorities confirmed that the majority will eventually be returned to their ancestral home in Edo State.