₦airaland Forum

Former street seller celebrates newfound rights after debacle in claiming €500,000 scratchcard prize while undocumented

A Nigerian man who won €500,000 in an Italian lottery – but was barred from collecting his windfall because he was undocumented – said the hardship of his more than decade-long immigration journey had been eased after he was finally granted a residency permit.

“I’ve been praying for this moment ever since I arrived in Italy,” said Imagbe Ehizomwengie, 36. “It’s a huge relief. You might think it’s incredible, but receiving the permit means more to me than winning the money. I want to work and contribute to society.”

Ehizomwengie bought the €5 Gratta e Vinci – Italy’s official instant scratchcard lottery – last October with money scraped together from selling handkerchiefs and begging outside a supermarket in Turin.

He cried tears of joy and relief when he discovered he had hit the jackpot, only for the win to be overshadowed by his bureaucratic quagmire.

Speaking to the Guardian, Ehizomwengie said he had arrived in Italy in 2016 after a treacherous journey across the Mediterranean from Libya, where he had been held captive for two years and was only released after a ransom was paid.

His request for a “special protection” permit – which until being restricted by Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government in 2023 granted residency to asylum seekers who did not qualify as refugees but faced serious risks to their life if sent home – was rejected.

Unable to work, Ehizomwengie got by as a street seller, occasionally chancing his luck with scratchcards in the hope of reversing his fortunes.

“When I lived in Nigeria, I was always praying for opportunities, but they never came,” he said. “But you also need to take risks in life, and I kept believing that one day I might even become a millionaire.”

He added: “I stopped buying the scratchcards for years but on the day I won … I truly believe God was watching over me.”

But then began his quest to claim his winnings. Without a residency permit, Ehizomwengie could not open a bank account to receive the money. In turn, without the money he could not demonstrate the financial independence needed to support his renewed appeal for a residency permit.

Scrambling for a solution, after being taken advantage of by a Nigerian friend to whom he had entrusted the money, the friend agreed to transfer about half of the post-tax winnings to Ehizomwengie’s cousin’s account. The funds were then used to buy Mama Africa, a shop selling food produce from Africa in the seaside town of Falconara in the Marche region of Italy.

In the meantime, Ehizomwengie’s lawyer, Andrea Palazzeschi, pursued his case through a court in Ancona, which this week ordered that a residence permit be issued, taking into consideration Ehizomwengie’s competent Italian, his work at Mama Africa and, pertinently, his new financial independence.

Palazzeschi said: “But it’s important to stress that Imagbe didn’t get the residence permit because he won the money, he got it because he proved to be a good candidate.”

Gratta e Vinci scratchcards are hugely popular in Italy. In 2019, an unemployed fisher in Puglia found a winning €100,000 scratchcard in a rubbish bin and was able to cash it in, while in 2022 a young man in northern Italy won €500,000 and fainted on the spot due to the shock.

Needless to say, Ehizomwengie has attracted much attention in Falconara, where he said he would organise a party to which everyone will be invited. “But only to celebrate receiving my permit,” he said. “I want to work and intend to keep my feet firmly on the ground. I just want to live a normal life.

MindHacker9009:
Former street seller celebrates newfound rights after debacle in claiming €500,000 scratchcard prize while undocumented

A Nigerian man who won €500,000 in an Italian lottery – but was barred from collecting his windfall because he was undocumented – said the hardship of his more than decade-long immigration journey had been eased after he was finally granted a residency permit.

“I’ve been praying for this moment ever since I arrived in Italy,” said Imagbe Ehizomwengie, 36. “It’s a huge relief. You might think it’s incredible, but receiving the permit means more to me than winning the money. I want to work and contribute to society.”

Ehizomwengie bought the €5 Gratta e Vinci – Italy’s official instant scratchcard lottery – last October with money scraped together from selling handkerchiefs and begging outside a supermarket in Turin.

He cried tears of joy and relief when he discovered he had hit the jackpot, only for the win to be overshadowed by his bureaucratic quagmire.

Speaking to the Guardian, Ehizomwengie said he had arrived in Italy in 2016 after a treacherous journey across the Mediterranean from Libya, where he had been held captive for two years and was only released after a ransom was paid.

His request for a “special protection” permit – which until being restricted by Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government in 2023 granted residency to asylum seekers who did not qualify as refugees but faced serious risks to their life if sent home – was rejected.

Unable to work, Ehizomwengie got by as a street seller, occasionally chancing his luck with scratchcards in the hope of reversing his fortunes.

“When I lived in Nigeria, I was always praying for opportunities, but they never came,” he said. “But you also need to take risks in life, and I kept believing that one day I might even become a millionaire.”

He added: “I stopped buying the scratchcards for years but on the day I won … I truly believe God was watching over me.”

But then began his quest to claim his winnings. Without a residency permit, Ehizomwengie could not open a bank account to receive the money. In turn, without the money he could not demonstrate the financial independence needed to support his renewed appeal for a residency permit.

Scrambling for a solution, after being taken advantage of by a Nigerian friend to whom he had entrusted the money, the friend agreed to transfer about half of the post-tax winnings to Ehizomwengie’s cousin’s account. The funds were then used to buy Mama Africa, a shop selling food produce from Africa in the seaside town of Falconara in the Marche region of Italy.

In the meantime, Ehizomwengie’s lawyer, Andrea Palazzeschi, pursued his case through a court in Ancona, which this week ordered that a residence permit be issued, taking into consideration Ehizomwengie’s competent Italian, his work at Mama Africa and, pertinently, his new financial independence.

Palazzeschi said: “But it’s important to stress that Imagbe didn’t get the residence permit because he won the money, he got it because he proved to be a good candidate.”

Gratta e Vinci scratchcards are hugely popular in Italy. In 2019, an unemployed fisher in Puglia found a winning €100,000 scratchcard in a rubbish bin and was able to cash it in, while in 2022 a young man in northern Italy won €500,000 and fainted on the spot due to the shock.

Needless to say, Ehizomwengie has attracted much attention in Falconara, where he said he would organise a party to which everyone will be invited. “But only to celebrate receiving my permit,” he said. “I want to work and intend to keep my feet firmly on the ground. I just want to live a normal life.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/12/nigerian-man-unable-to-claim-italian-lottery-win-gains-residency-permit

Despite the fact that you can clearly see that going through the right process was more benefiting as he has gotten the full amount (before tax)

There has being an advancement in f00lishness amongst Nigerians and it is just sickening.
You obviously thought this your opinion was a piece of wisdom...

I advice my sons about people like you. By Exousiang01

Emmy000seun:
I watch the guy story on Facebook some days ago 💯💯🥰🎉..all I can say is congratulations...if you don't rush in life anyday can b a pay day for hustle of donkey years ago .

chigator2:
Something wey e for give to legalee to collect on their name sign agreement to split.

Them no need id to buy lottery ticket, possession during verification is proof of ownership.

Get a lawyer to draw up an agreement between you and your proxy and how money will be split. Under a good arrangement he would have made off with nothing less than 300,000 Euros which is far better than getting nothing or the resident permit. He can even self deport at that point because the bag is secured.

chigator2:
Something wey e for give to legalee to collect on their name sign agreement to split.

Them no need id to buy lottery ticket, possession during verification is proof of ownership.

Get a lawyer to draw up an agreement between you and your proxy and how money will be split. Under a good arrangement he would have made off with nothing less than 300,000 Euros which is far better than getting nothing or the resident permit. He can even self deport at that point because the bag is secured.

ppogba:
Oyinbo people wicked pass Chinedu that tied her sister down.

He won a lottery but you denied him because he is undocumented. Would it not have been ideal to have disqualified him ab initio?

Wicked Italian thieves.

grandstar:
Nothing wicked at all.

Their countries were biilt for their citizens not migrants.

MindHacker9009:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/12/nigerian-man-unable-to-claim-italian-lottery-win-gains-residency-permit

QuinQQ:
How about legal migrants?

grandstar:
Nothing wicked at all.

Their country was builtfor their citizens not illegal migrants.

There is a scarcity of jobs in Italy and even locals find it hard to get formal jobs. Their economy has barely grown since 1999, so the last thing they will want is clueless Africans who know next to nothing about Italy to come add to the mess on ground.

If you want to travel, do so legally.

ppogba:
The terms and conditions of the lottery should have stated that ab initio.

I totally agree with every of your argument but if they could allow him participate without the conditions being made clear, then, something is wrong and fishy.

Smartguyboy:
Using a recent exchange rate of about ₦1,595 per €1, €500,000 would be worth approximately:

€500,000 × ₦1,595 = ₦797,500,000 

So the prize is roughly ₦798 million (about ₦800 million when rounded).

If we use slightly different exchange rates currently seen in the market, the value would be between ₦785 million and ₦800 million.

With this amount you will never work in your life again if you invest the money in TB or mutual funds.
But the illiterate prefer to open shop .