The Irish Government is preparing to join a new European Union readmission agreement with Nigeria aimed at speeding up the return of undocumented Nigerian migrants and unsuccessful international protection applicants.

Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan intends to bring the proposal to Cabinet for approval. If accepted, Ireland will join the EU-wide returns agreement, which would establish a stronger operational framework than Ireland's existing 2001 bilateral agreement with Nigeria that was never formally ratified by Nigerian authorities.

Nigeria consistently ranks among the primary countries of origin for people applying for international protection in Ireland. Under the EU pact, Nigerian authorities will be subject to structured obligations to facilitate the swift return of nationals who no longer hold a legal right to reside in EU member states.

The EU-Nigeria agreement follows more than a decade of diplomatic negotiations. As part of the broader EU arrangement, provisions were agreed to grant Nigeria expanded access to the European market alongside €288 million in funding dedicated to its healthcare sector.