Country Summary for NIGERIA

Definitions

‘Antiquity’—

(a) Any object of archaeological interest or land in which any such object was discovered  or is believed to exist; or

(b) any relic of early human settlement or colonisation; or

(c) any work of art or craft work, [such as] any statue, carving, or craft work of indigenous origin and –

(i) was made or fashioned before the year 1918; or

(ii) is of historical, artistic or scientific interest and is or has been used at any time in the performance and for purposes of any traditional ceremony, and in the case of any object or relic mentioned in this section includes for the purposes of this Act any land adjacent thereto; (NCMM Act, §32)

‘Object of Archaeological Interest’ ­–

(a) any fossil remains man or of animals found in association with man; or

(b) any side trace or ruin of an ancient habitation, working place, midden or scared place; or

(c) any cave or other natural shelter or engraving, drawing, painting, or inscription on rock or elsewhere; or

(d) any stone object or implement believed to have been used or produced by early man; or

(e) any ancient structure, erection, memorial, causeway, bridge, cairn, tumulus, grave, shrine, excavation, well, water tank, artificial hole, monolith, grove of stores, earthwork, wall, gateway or fortification; or

(f) any antique tool or object of metal, wood, stone, clay, leather, textile, basket wear of other material, which is (or are) of archaeological interest;

(g) which is (or are) of archaeological interest; (NCMM Act, §32)

Registry

Any person who has an antiquity in his possession or under his control…shall, if so demanded by an accredited agent, register the antiquity with the accredited agent… (NCMM Act, §23(1))

An application for the issue by the commission of a permit for the export of an antiquity from Nigeria shall be made in writing to the Chairman of the Commission through the Director of Museums and Monuments at the Nigerian Museum, Lagos at least three months before the proposed date of export. (NCMM Act, §30(2))

The application shall contain:

(a) the name of the object;

(b) its function

(c) a full description with dimensions;

(d) its local cost or an estimate of its value;

(e) when, where and from whom it was obtained;

(f) adequate photograph(s) unless waived by the Director. (NCMM Act, §30(3))