Sweden returns 39 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, 129 years after British forces looted them

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.