Saturday, November 14, 2026 - Sweden has returned 39 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, 129 years after British forces looted thousands of cultural artefacts from the Benin Kingdom during the 1897 invasion.
The artefacts were formally handed over to Nigeria at a
ceremony in Lagos on Thursday, November 12, by representatives of Sweden's
National Museums of World Culture. They will be received by the National
Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).
According to The Art Newspaper, the objects were among
thousands taken by British troops who attacked and burned the Benin Kingdom
before incorporating it into the British Empire.
The returned collection includes cultural objects known as
Emwin Arre. However, six of the 39 artefacts will remain in Sweden under a
10-year loan arrangement.
Michael Barrett, curator for Africa at Sweden's National
Museums of World Culture, described the return as an important step towards
addressing the colonial-era looting of cultural property.
The restitution adds to ongoing efforts to recover Benin
artefacts held by foreign institutions. The Netherlands returned 119 objects to
Nigeria in 2025, while Germany handed over 20 Benin Bronzes in 2022.
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