Holloway’s Repatriation Record Behind TIME100 Art Recognition

Olugbile Holloway’s inclusion in TIME Magazine’s inaugural TIME100 Art list has drawn attention to his role in Nigeria’s efforts to secure the return of cultural artefacts taken from the country.

Appointed Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) in March 2024, Holloway assumed office at a time when several restitution claims involving Nigerian artefacts had remained unresolved for years.

His tenure has since been marked by two significant repatriation developments. The Netherlands returned 119 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria in June 2025, while Cambridge transferred ownership of 116 Benin artefacts to Nigeria in February 2026, following years of discussions.

TIME’s citation recognised Holloway’s contribution to the return of more than 200 looted artefacts and efforts to address ownership questions that had complicated restitution negotiations.

The Cambridge agreement was particularly significant because it followed nearly a decade of discussions and involved the transfer of ownership of the artefacts. Holloway described the agreement as a precedent that could encourage other institutions holding Nigerian artefacts to reconsider their positions on restitution.

The developments also placed renewed attention on the pace of Nigeria’s recent cultural diplomacy.

Previous restitution efforts have involved lengthy negotiations between governments and institutions. Germany, for instance, reached an agreement with Nigeria in 2021 concerning the return of more than 1,000 Benin Bronzes. Against that broader history, the conclusion of two major restitution arrangements during Holloway’s first two years in office has contributed to the visibility of his tenure.

His engagement has also extended beyond Europe. Holloway has pursued cultural and diplomatic contacts with institutions and officials in the United States, including discussions around opportunities for greater cooperation with American museums.

Those engagements form part of a wider effort to place Nigeria more prominently in international discussions surrounding the ownership, preservation and restitution of African cultural heritage.

The more difficult negotiations, however, may still lie ahead.

TIME noted Holloway’s ongoing engagement with the British Museum, which holds a substantial collection of Benin artefacts. British law places restrictions on the museum’s ability to permanently dispose of objects in its collection, making any potential restitution arrangement considerably more complicated.

A breakthrough with the British Museum would represent another important stage in Nigeria’s efforts to recover cultural objects taken during the 1897 British expedition to Benin.

Holloway’s TIME100 Art recognition therefore comes against the backdrop of a broader international debate over cultural restitution and the responsibilities of museums that hold artefacts acquired during the colonial period.

The two repatriation agreements do not resolve Nigeria’s wider restitution claims, nor do they settle the complex legal and diplomatic questions surrounding ownership of African cultural heritage.

They do, however, represent tangible outcomes in a process that has often been characterised by prolonged negotiations.

For Holloway, the recognition places his tenure within that continuing debate, while the next phase of negotiations — particularly with major British institutions — could determine how far Nigeria’s recent momentum in cultural restitution can be sustained.