18-6-2025
Netherlands will hand over the 119 Benin Bronze works to Nigeria on June 21 at a ceremony billed for the National Museum in Lagos.
The Benin Bronzes were looted from the ancient Benin Kingdom in 1897 by an invading British expedition force, but over the end years somehow ended up in the Netherlands. The Dutch government February 2025 announced its decision to return the art works.
Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Hannatu Musa Musawa will receive the arts works from Dutch government officials including the Ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation of the Netherlands Dewi van de Weerd the directors of the Wereldmuseum.
The Nigerian government will decide how and where the artifacts will be displayed. They will initially be stored in the new NCMM Oba Ovonramwen storage facility at the National Museum in Benin City.
The Netherlands and Nigeria have worked closely together to realise this historic restitution. Dutch Ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation, Dewi van de Weerd said: “We congratulate Nigeria on their persistent advocacy for the return of the Benin Bronzes. We hope that this restitution is not the final chapter, but the foundation for further cooperation between Dutch and Nigerian museums.”
Of the 119 objects being returned, 113 of the objects were part of the Dutch State Collection, while the remaining six are given back by the Municipality of Rotterdam. Four items will remain on display in the Wereldmuseum on a loan agreement.