Abuja, March 27, 2025 – The House of Representatives has advanced a bill seeking to introduce citizenship by investment into Nigeria’s Constitution, passing it through second reading on Wednesday.
Sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and other lawmakers, the Citizenship by Investment Bill proposes granting Nigerian citizenship to foreign investors who meet a specified financial threshold or invest in key sectors crucial to national development.
The bill aims to boost foreign direct investment (FDI) and accelerate economic growth by attracting wealthy individuals and businesses to Nigeria.
Presenting the bill, House Leader Prof. Julius Ihonvbere also introduced the Indigene Status Bill, which seeks to:
Grant indigene status to individuals born in a state or those who have resided there for at least 10 years.
Extend indigene status to women married to men from a different state for at least five years.
Additionally, lawmakers are reviewing the death penalty law, with proposed constitutional amendments aimed at aligning penalties for capital offenses with international best practices. The move seeks to ensure fairness, proportionality, and human rights compliance in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
These bills mark a significant shift in Nigeria’s legal and economic landscape, with potential implications for investment, national unity, and human rights.
The proposals will undergo further legislative scrutiny before final approval.
