Dr. Bernard Doro Reports 7,000 Refugees Return to Nigeria

Dr. Bernard Doro, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, announced that over 7,000 Nigerian refugees voluntarily returned home from neighboring countries in 2026 under Tripartite Agreements. This announcement was made during Nigeria’s national statement at the 77th Session of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 12 to 16, 2026.

Doro noted that an additional 14,000 refugees in Cameroon have expressed intentions to return, and an agreement for the return of 2,000 Nigerians from Niger is being finalized. He attributed the voluntary returns to improved security conditions in Nigeria, which have created opportunities for refugees to come back safely.

As of September 2026, Nigeria had received over 24,000 returnees and is managing over 6.7 million internally displaced persons. The country also hosts more than 142,000 refugees and asylum seekers from 42 countries, reaffirming its commitment to international refugee protection obligations.