Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, has disclosed that more than 7,000 Nigerian refugees voluntarily returned home from neighbouring countries in 2026 under Tripartite Agreements, with another 14,000 refugees in Cameroon registering their intention to return and an agreement covering the return of 2,000 Nigerians from Niger being finalised.
Doro made the disclosure while delivering Nigeria's national statement at the 77th Session of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland, holding from October 12 to 16, 2026 . According to the Minister, the progress towards improved security conditions in parts of the country had created opportunities for refugees to return voluntarily . He acknowledged the continued hospitality of Cameroon, Chad and Niger in providing refuge to Nigerians displaced by insecurity and other humanitarian challenges .
The figures released by the Minister provide a snapshot of a repatriation process that has been underway for several years. As of September 2026, Nigeria had received over 24,000 returnees and was managing a population of more than 6.7 million internally displaced persons . The country also currently hosts more than 142,000 refugees and asylum seekers from 42 countries, reaffirming the Federal Government's commitment to international refugee protection obligations .
The repatriation framework operates through a combination of organised returns under Tripartite Agreements, spontaneous returns, and occasional bilateral arrangements between Nigeria and countries of asylum . Under the 2017 Tripartite Agreement with Cameroon, 3,043 Nigerians returned in 2026 . With Chad, a Tripartite Agreement was finalised in 2025, and over 7,000 refugees were bilaterally repatriated in February 2025 . With Niger, a draft tripartite agreement is currently pending review and signature, though over 17,000 refugees were bilaterally repatriated by the Government of Nigeria between April and November 2025 .
The returns are concentrated in Borno State, where the majority of the refugees originate . In January and February 2026, Borno State and the Federal Government concluded the fourth phase of a repatriation exercise, with the arrival of 705 refugees in Banki and a final batch of 680 refugees . The returnees received return packages including N100,000 per head of household, N20,000 for each wife, mattresses and wrappers, alongside food items provided by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons . UNHCR and partners also provided multi-purpose cash grants and newly constructed houses to support safe and dignified reintegration .
The Minister said Resettlement Cities established in seven locations were supporting the phased closure of displacement camps under conditions of safety and dignity . He also noted that no case of refoulement had been recorded in Nigeria in 2026, reaffirming the country's commitment to protecting people fleeing persecution from being returned to situations where their lives or freedom could be threatened .
Doro called for stronger international responsibility-sharing and innovative financing arrangements to address the growing humanitarian needs of refugees and displaced persons . The call reflects a significant funding gap: UNHCR's Nigeria operation required $83 million in 2026 but was only 14 per cent funded, leaving an 86 per cent shortfall . The Minister's statement at the Executive Committee session is part of Nigeria's ongoing engagement with the international community on refugee protection and durable solutions.
The political context of the disclosure is significant. The 2027 general elections are less than four months away, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, and the governorship and state assembly elections for February 6. Security has emerged as one of the central issues in the campaign, alongside the cost of living and the economy. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seeking a second term on the All Progressives Congress platform, while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, former Anambra Governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement are among the major challengers. The government has consistently pointed to improved security conditions as evidence of its commitment to restoring normalcy in conflict-affected areas, and the voluntary return of refugees is presented as a tangible indicator of progress.
For the more than 7,000 Nigerians who returned home in 2026, the journey represents both an end to years of displacement and the beginning of the difficult process of rebuilding their lives. Many return to damaged homes, scarce food and limited resources, relying on support from UNHCR, the government and humanitarian partners to meet their immediate needs . For the 14,000 refugees in Cameroon who have registered their intention to return, the decision reflects a calculation about the relative safety and opportunity of home versus exile. For the Federal Government, the returns are a validation of its narrative that security is improving and that displacement is being reversed. As Doro put it, improved security conditions in parts of the country are creating opportunities for voluntary return, and the Resettlement Cities are supporting the phased closure of displacement camps under conditions of safety and dignity .
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