The Netherlands is set to repatriate 119 looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria this month, marking one of the most significant returns of cultural artefacts to the country in recent history.
This repatriation represents a landmark moment in the ongoing efforts to restore Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
On Thursday, June 5, the Dutch embassy in Nigeria officially confirmed that the artefacts will arrive during the week of June 16, with a formal handover ceremony scheduled for June 21 at the National Museum in Lagos.
Following this event, the bronzes will be transported to the National Museum in Benin City, Edo State, which is their place of origin and cultural significance.
This return is believed to be the largest single consignment of Benin bronzes ever handed back to Nigeria by any foreign country. The artefacts were originally looted by British forces during the 1897 punitive expedition against the Benin Kingdom.
Thousands of these sacred and ceremonial objects were taken, with many ending up in museums and private collections across Europe and North America.
In a prior statement made in February, the Dutch embassy acknowledged that these artefacts should never have been removed from Nigeria.
Bengt van Loosdrech, the Dutch ambassador-designate to Nigeria, emphasized that Nigeria had been requesting the return of the bronzes for over five decades, highlighting the long-standing nature of the demand.
The return of the Benin bronzes by the Netherlands is part of a broader global movement addressing colonial-era looting. Nations and cultural institutions worldwide are increasingly confronted with calls to repatriate stolen cultural heritage to their countries of origin, reflecting a growing commitment to historical justice and cultural restoration.