Swiss Museums Return Looted Art to Nigeria amidst a Bilateral Agreement

                On June 29, 2026, Swiss authorities returned 18 stolen artifacts stolen to Nigeria in a ceremony at the National Museum in Lagos.  The handover occurred as part of a bilateral cooperation agreement between the two countries, which has the purpose of protecting cultural heritage and redressing historical injustice. The ceremony signaled the first measure to implement the agreement signed in March 2026, in which the Swiss government agreed to transfer ownership of 28 artifacts to Nigeria.  The 18 pieces are part of the country’s Benin Bronzes, which are hundreds of sculptures and plaques mostly made of metal and ivory that adorned the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin, now the Southern Nigerian Edo state.  The pieces served political and religious functions.