Nigeria’s Citizenship by Investment Bill faces backlash over claims of hidden indigene clause, raising nationwide concerns

Nigeria’s Citizenship by Investment Bill, formally House Bill 2059, has reignited public debate following claims that the legislation may contain a hidden clause granting indigene status to non-natives.

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The bill is sponsored by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, alongside six other lawmakers.

The controversy emerged after a viral post on X by user @blockofbuilder warned that the proposed law could alter long-standing definitions of state of origin and ancestral identity.

Critics argue that the bill could “steal” local identity by allowing non-indigenes to acquire indigenous status in regions such as Yorubaland.

House Bill 2059, formally titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2025 (Citizenship by Investment),” seeks to amend Section 28 of the 1999 Constitution to create a new citizenship category for foreign investors who meet specified financial and economic requirements.

Supporters say the legislation is intended to attract foreign direct investment, stimulate economic growth, and align Nigeria with international citizenship-by-investment frameworks.

Despite its stated economic goals, opponents allege the bill could include provisions granting indigene status by birth, marriage, or after a period of residence.

No such clause has been confirmed in the publicly available draft, but the claims have triggered widespread concern online.

The current debate mirrors opposition to House Bill 2057, sponsored by Kalu earlier in 2025, which explicitly sought to grant indigene status by birth, marriage, or long-term residence.

That bill was withdrawn in July 2025 following public outcry, with the sponsor citing the need for further consultations and stakeholder input.

As of January 2026, House Bill 2059 remains at the committee stage.

Civic groups and online activists are calling on the National Assembly to clarify the bill’s provisions and reassure the public, while analysts warn that ambiguity around citizenship and indigene rights could heighten ethnic sensitivities in a nation with a history of indigene-settler disputes.

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With scrutiny intensifying, attention remains on the National Assembly to provide transparency on the scope and intent of the proposed legislation while balancing investment incentives with Nigeria’s complex social and cultural realities.