Foreign nationals who wish to make Nigeria their permanent residence or who intend to invest in the country can now become citizens through a legal document called “The Brown Card.”
The announcement was made in Abuja by Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola during a ceremony to grant citizenship to 385 deserving foreign nationals from various countries.
The minister verified that the Buhari administration naturalized the greatest number of citizens in the country’s history.
Aregbesola stated that the government had established a solid socio-economic and political foundation that would propel Nigeria into the top 20 largest economies in the globe.
He expressed Nigeria’s resolve to attract foreign investors, resourceful individuals, and people with unique talents and boundless energy.
Between 2011 and 2013, 266 foreigners acquired Nigerian citizenship. In 2017, 335 individuals became citizens of Nigeria. This year, 385 foreigners have arrived, bringing the total to 1006.
“I continue to be unhappy with this number. Each year, thousands of non-citizens are granted citizenship in Europe and the United States, the minister said.
Aregbesola stated that the constitutional requirement of 15 years of continuous residency in Nigeria impedes a straightforward path to Nigerian citizenship.
He referred to this as a “huge disincentive” and stated that in the United States and the majority of European nations, it takes five years for youthful, inventive minds to be assimilated “through easy pathways.”
The minister urged the appropriate institutions to consider reducing the number of years in the next attempt to amend the constitution.
“I am pleased to announce that the Brown Card is the legal document necessary to obtain permanent residency. “The Minister of the Interior is now authorized to grant Permanent Residency to non-Nigerians,” he said.
Explaining that the beneficiaries can reside and work in Nigeria without having to renew their visas every five years, as was previously the case, and listing those who qualify:
“Foreign nationals of African descent who wish to make Nigeria their residence via the ‘Privilege of Return’; Foreign nationals who wish to invest in Nigeria in accordance with established guidelines.
“Foreign nationals with talents, knowledge, and abilities in Science, Technology, Medicine, Engineering, the Arts, Sports, and other to-be-determined areas; Male foreign nationals who have been married to Nigerian women for at least one year.
Minister added that the Ministry of the Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) will announce application and processing specifics at a later date.Nigerian government announces permanent residency card
