Switzerland to Return 28 Looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria After Historic Agreement
Switzerland has agreed to return 28 Benin bronzes to Nigeria after confirming their origins in the 1897 British looting of the Benin Kingdom. The formal restitution accord was signed on Friday at Zurich's City Hall, marking a step in international cooperation. Research by the Benin Initiative Schweiz (BIS) identified these artifacts as either 'definitively' or 'probably' stolen from the historic kingdom.
The 28 objects come from three Swiss museums: Museum Rietberg Zürich (11 pieces), Völkerkundemuseum Zürich (14 pieces), and Musée d'ethnographie de Genève (3 pieces). These institutions worked with Nigerian partners to verify the bronzes' origins through scientific and historical scrutiny. The artifacts were part of around 100 Benin objects in Swiss collections, with roughly half having unclear or contested provenances.
The National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) of Nigeria had formally requested their return in 2024 and 2025. Olugbile Holloway, the NCMM's director-general, attended the signing ceremony in Zurich. While some artifacts will stay in Switzerland on loan for cultural exchange, the majority will be transported to Nigeria next summer.
The bronzes were originally looted by British colonial forces in 1897 and later entered Swiss museums during colonial and post-colonial times. Their return follows growing global efforts to restitute cultural property acquired under unjust circumstances.
The agreement ensures that the artifacts will be housed in Nigeria's National Museum in Lagos. Their return supports Nigeria's efforts to reclaim and preserve its heritage. The process also highlights ongoing collaboration between Swiss institutions and Nigerian authorities in addressing historical injustices.
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