Relationship dossier
Libya
Nigeria
Relationship assessment
Practical cooperation on migrant returns amid serious tensions over migrants’ treatment
Libya toward Nigeria
+5Libyan authorities participated in efforts to facilitate the return of Nigerian migrants from Libya, including repatriation efforts organized with international assistance. The treatment of migrants in Libya, however, became a serious concern for Nigeria.
Nigeria toward Libya
+5Nigeria organized the return of its citizens from Libya and, in 2017, recalled its ambassador for consultations in protest after reports of slave markets and abuses against migrants in Libya.
Overall relationship
+5The relationship combines practical coordination on the return of Nigerian migrants with a major, recurring source of tension over migrants’ treatment in Libya. These concerns prompted a prominent Nigerian diplomatic protest, while repatriation efforts show that the two governments have also engaged in practical cooperation.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Libya–Nigeria relations include practical cooperation on the return of Nigerian migrants from Libya, alongside serious tensions over the treatment of migrants. Nigeria publicly protested after reports of slave markets in Libya and recalled its ambassador for consultations in 2017. The relationship appears mixed, with migration issues a prominent bilateral concern.
Areas of tension
- Treatment and exploitation of Nigerian migrants in Libya
- Libyan slave-market reports and Nigeria’s resulting diplomatic protest
Key developments
Nigeria recalled its ambassador for consultations following reports of slave markets and abuses against migrants in Libya.
Efforts were undertaken to repatriate Nigerian migrants from Libya with international assistance and participation by Libyan authorities.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and consistency of Libyan authorities’ cooperation with Nigerian-led migrant repatriations are unclear.
- The scope of current bilateral agreements and other government cooperation is unclear.