British MP and UK Minister for Business and Trade, Kemi Badenoch, has expressed deep frustration over Nigeria’s restrictive citizenship laws, revealing that even she, as a person of Nigerian origin, cannot pass Nigerian citizenship to her children, despite her strong ties to the country.
Speaking during a recent policy roundtable, Badenoch contrasted Nigeria’s complex and exclusionary nationality laws with the United Kingdom’s more inclusive approach to citizenship.
> “I find it ironic that Nigerians can live briefly in the UK and become British citizens with full rights, yet someone like me, born to Nigerian parents, cannot pass Nigerian citizenship to my children just because they were born abroad,” she said.
Badenoch, whose remarks have sparked fresh debate both in Nigeria and the diaspora, called for a review of Nigeria’s nationality laws, particularly regarding the rights of women and those in the diaspora.
Legal experts note that under current Nigerian law, citizenship by descent is typically passed through the father. Badenoch’s situation underscores the limitations faced by many Nigerian women and diaspora families who wish to retain national identity for their children.
Her comments have ignited widespread discussion on social media, with many Nigerians echoing her concerns and urging lawmakers to modernize the constitution’s citizenship provisions to reflect changing global realities and strengthen ties with the diaspora.
The Nigerian government has not yet officially responded.
