₦airaland Forum

The Federal Government officially conferred Nigerian citizenship on no fewer than 1,006 foreign nationals between 2017 and 2023, findings by Sunday PUNCH have revealed.

Although investiture events, organised by the Ministry of Interior and overseen by the Presidency, represent the only occasions on which new citizens receive their certificates publicly, checks revealed that others were naturalised or registered through the usual administrative channels.

The first such investiture was held on May 17, 2017, at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja, where former President Muhammadu Buhari handed certificates to 335 new Nigerians.

Among the beneficiaries was Ethiopian-born model Lara Fortes, who had married the then Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, two years earlier.

The then minister of Interior, Lt-Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.), said they comprised 245 by naturalisation after at least 15 years’ lawful residence, and 90 by registration—spouses and children of citizens.

Danbazau emphasised that each recipient had passed stringent security vetting and a review by the Federal Executive Council.

Following a five-year pause, during which the COVID-19 pandemic and an administrative backlog delayed in-person events, the second public ceremony was held on September 15, 2022, where President Buhari handed certificates to 286 foreigners.

They comprised 86 Lebanese nationals, 14 Britons and four Americans. Of these, 208 had satisfied the 15-year residence rule, while 78 qualified via spousal or parental ties to Nigerian citizens.

The last known investiture was held on May 27, 2023, just two days before Buhari concluded his eight-year tenure.

Acting on his behalf, former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo oversaw the presentation of citizenship to 385 successful applicants inside the Nigeria Correctional Service headquarters.

The then Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, noted that those two years alone (2022 and 2023) accounted for 671 new citizens, which he tagged “the largest number under any Nigerian government.”

Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Citizenship Act empower the President, on the advice of the Federal Executive Council, to grant citizenship by naturalisation or registration. A foreign national naturalises after at least 15 years of lawful residence (including 10 years continuously immediately before application), good character, and a clear security and tax record. They can also obtain citizenship if they are married to a Nigerian citizen for at least 15 years or are born abroad as a child of a Nigerian parent.

In practice, applicants submit forms and documentation to the Ministry of Interior, where a dedicated Citizenship Division verifies identity, residence history and character references.

The DSS then conducts security vetting, and other agencies verify tax compliance and the absence of criminal convictions. Approved files proceed to the Federal Executive Council, chaired by the President.

After the President’s assent, successful candidates often take the Oath of Allegiance at a public ceremony, receive a certificate of citizenship, and are entitled to Nigerian passports and all attendant rights.

Since President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration in May 2023, no public citizenship ceremonies have been held.

However, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, confirmed to our correspondent that several approved applicants were currently undergoing DSS background checks.

Source: https://punchng.com/1006-foreigners-received-nigerian-citizenship-in-eight-years/

Nigeria has to review this process especially when foreign nationals get married to Nigerian.

AmazingGenius:
Source: https://punchng.com/1006-foreigners-received-nigerian-citizenship-in-eight-years/

Great improvement.

Hope they all wrote " Life in Nigeria" test and passed

Now they can feel what we feel at international airport of developed nations.

I hope they don't get labeled as drug peddlers, scammers, and what not, just by carrying the green pasport.

Congratulations to them all the same ... Being a Nigerian is a big flex. The only people you'd push to the wall, and would end up creating a hole within the wall. We don't take no! For an answer; we are Nigerians.✊

they are highly welcome to new Nigeria unlike before.

What a shame .No one wants to be citizen of a zoo I guess

That's nice even though it's not that easy for Nigerians to also become citizens in those countries.

1006 foreigners

I hope they are not people from benin republic, togo, chad or those fulani terrorists from niger republic? Because they are foreigners too.

Requirements for Nigerian citizenship aee way more stricter than for American citizenship

that's really embarrassing.

It's sad that Nigerian citizenship is worth next to nothing

Mostly sugarcane sellers and cow herders

Ok, noted.

😎

About this..hope they're entitled to every benefits or so to say little benefits we have in Nigeria,can they contest for any local elections in Nigeria...I am asking in behalf of a friend though.

Ridiculous . If you check the list, they're mainly Pakistanis, Lebanese, Indians and a very few Chinese who have jointly looted our money in contracts and kickbacks.

The horses are about to bolt from the stables

DMerciful:
The horses are about to bolt from the stables

This is the moment we've been waiting for. A rebirth of the June 12, 1993 election is coming . This time around, it will be massive. God bless Nigeria.

Apcshit:
What a shame .No one wants to be citizen of a zoo I guess

Did you actually understand what this post is saying or you chose to be ignorant to spill the trash.


They said ove 1k became applied for Nigerian citizenship and were accepted.

dominique:
Requirements for Nigerian citizenship aee way more stricter than for American citizenship

And that is how it should be.

Underdeveloped countries cant afford to have easy path to citizenship, because the security risk, and also the local population who needs emancipation are so much.

dibunotion:
Nigeria has to review this process especially when foreign nationals get married to Nigerian.

You have no unique selling point for your market ....yet you make it hugely expensive. When you see a Northern Nigeria inspired national policy....it's not hard to tell

If na Edo or Igbo indigenes that dominate Nigerian government corridors...will such a policy continue to stand.....Northerners do not travel nor marry foreign nationals so which one concern them!

If it is to mass import bororo fulani herdsmen..they will quickly look the other way..........Ndigbo should swallow the pain and go ahead and align with Tinubu to ensure he wins 2027( especially if he releases Nnamdi Kanu and allow Igbo influence in his next regime........fulanus wrecked this country beyond measure!

dibunotion Nigeria has to review this process especially when foreign nationals get married to Nigerian.


My wife has always wanted to become a citizen of Nigeria, but we don't know how to go about it because of the conditions.

stevio That's nice even though it's not that easy for Nigerians to also become citizens in those countries.




It is way easy to become a citizen of America than becoming a citizen of Nigeria.

More Citizenship by marriage should be considered for non Nigerian

What’s the benefit of being a Nigerian citizen again?

If you are not black, everyday Nigerians won’t recognise you as a citizen, you will always be a foreigner.

Nigerians are trooping to other countries begging for citizenship and claiming they have rights to be so recognised but their hellish country is so stingy to grant citizenship to even women married to Nigerians that only 1006 persons have received citizenship in 15 years!

News like this will make UK increase the number of years for ILR to 15 years.

And why are there here?

"there were 202,041 grants of British citizenship in 2023, 15% more than in 2022"!!!
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-december-2023/summary-of-latest-statistics?
Not sure what to think about our own 1006 in 8 years!!

Congratulations 2u all

[quote author=Eriokanmi post=135325649]Ridiculous . If you check the list, they're mainly Pakistanis, Lebanese, Indians and a very few Chinese who have jointly looted our money in contracts and kickbacks. [/quotle]You know whatsup