Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo called for African governments to grant automatic citizenship to people of African descent, a step that would extend Nigeria’s listed routes if adopted there, BusinessDay reported.
The newspaper said the appeal followed a question at a Nov. 7 discussion in Lagos from a participant with Caribbean ancestry who asked about returning to Africa and obtaining citizenship. It reported that Obasanjo urged Nigeria to act and other African countries to follow.
CANEX’s official program listed a conversation inspired by Lest We Forget for Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Cultural & Creative Arts in Lagos.
Nigeria’s Constitution recognizes citizenship by birth, registration and naturalization. An adult born abroad with a Nigerian grandparent may seek registration, subject to conditions that include good character, a clear intention to be domiciled in Nigeria and an oath of allegiance.
For naturalization, Nigeria’s Constitution requires, among other conditions, either 15 continuous years of residence immediately before applying, or a continuous final year preceded by at least 15 years of residence during the previous 20 years. The Constitution does not list African descent alone as grounds for automatic citizenship, so adopting the reported call in Nigeria would go beyond its stated routes.
The Guardian separately reported that Obasanjo favored fewer barriers to travel within Africa, including visas issued on arrival or a common visa system.
