The Netherlands has returned more than 100 Benin Bronzes that were taken from Nigeria.

Nigeria has taken delivery from the Netherlands of 119 pieces of priceless “Benin Bronze” artefacts looted more than 120 years ago, the country’s museum commission and the Dutch embassy said Wednesday.

It is the latest return of artefacts to Africa, as pressure mounts on Western governments and institutions to hand back the spoils of colonial oppression.

“On this historic occasion it gives us great joy to finally welcome the return of 119 Benin Bronzes from the Netherlands,” said Olugbile Holloway, director-general of Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments.

“This represents the largest physical return to Nigeria and the people of Benin since the looting of the Benin Royal Palace by the British in 1897,” he said in a statement jointly issued with the Dutch embassy in Nigeria.

Here’s a clearer, updated overview of the Netherlands–Nigeria restitution of Benin Bronzes:

🏛️ What’s Happened

On 19 February 2025, the Dutch government—backed by its Colonial Collections Committee—unconditionally agreed to return 119 Benin Bronzes looted during the 1897 British punitive expedition. Of these, 113 artifacts belonged to the Dutch national collection and 6 were from the Municipality of Rotterdam

The signing ceremony took place at the Wereldmuseum in Leiden, with Dutch Minister Eppo Bruins and Nigeria’s NCMM Director‑General Olugbile Holloway in attendance

🧭 Why It Matters

This marks the single largest repatriation of Benin Bronzes directly tied to the 1897 looting rotterdam.

The bronzes include plaques, pendants, figures, ivory masks, an ornate bell, a coconut holder, a staff, and more—spanning works from the 15th to the 19th centuries

The initiative is part of a broader decolonization push: Germany returned over 1,000 bronzes in 2022, and there’s growing pressure on others—like the British Museum—

🇳🇱–🇳🇬 Cooperation & What’s Next

Both countries describe the return as a restoration of historical justice and a foundation for ongoing cultural collaboration en.wikipedia.org+15rotterdam.wereldmuseum.nl+15jpost.com+15.

The artifacts are expected to arrive in Nigeria later this year and future display plans will involve the upcoming Edo Museum of West African Art in Benin City, designed by Sir David Adjaye, opening in 2026

🗣️ Voices & Reactions

Olugbile Holloway (NCMM): “Symbolism… cannot be overemphasised… for the pride and dignity of not just the Benin people, but the whole of Nigeria” .

Dutch Ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation Dewi van de Weerd hailed Nigeria for persistently campaigning for the return of the cultural artefacts.

“We hope that this restitution is not the final chapter, but the foundation for further cooperation between Dutch and Nigerian museums,” said van de Weerd in the joint statement.

Of the 119 objects, 113 were part of the Dutch State Collection, while the Rotterdam municipality returned the other six. The pieces will be officially handed over on Saturday.