Citizenship is the state of being a citizen. It also means the state of having rights and duties of a citizen. A citizen is a legal member of a state or country.
The citizenship of Nigeria can be acquired through the following ways:
- Citizenship by birth
- Citizenship by registration or marriage
- Citizenship by naturalization
CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH
The following people are citizens of Nigeria by birth
- Every person born in Nigeria either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents are citizens of Nigeria.
- Every person born outside Nigeria either of whose parents is a citizen of Nigeria.
CITIZENSHIP BY REGISTRATION OR MARRIAGE
A person can become a citizen of Nigeria through registration if he satisfies the following conditions:
- he is a person of good character
- he has shown a clear intension of his desire to live in Nigeria
- he has taken the Oath of Allegiance prescribed in the Constitution.
Citizenship by registration or marriage is applicable to the following people;
- Any woman who is married to a citizen of Nigeria.
- Every person of full age(18 years above) and capacity born outside Nigeria any of whose grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria.
CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALIZATION
An alien or a foreigner can become a citizen of Nigeria through naturalization if he satisfies the following conditions:
- he is a person of good character
- he has shown a clear intension of his desire to live in Nigeria
- he has taken the Oath of Allegiance prescribed in the Constitution
- he is a person of full age and capacity
- he is approved by the Governor of the state where he wishes to be resident and also accepted by the local community
- he is a person who has made or is capable of making useful contribution to the growth and development of Nigeria
- if he has resided in Nigeria for a period of fifteen years (15 years).
WITHDRAWAL OF CITIZENSHIP
This simply means a situation whereby citizenship conferred on an individual particularly a foreigner is denied.
Withdrawal of citizenship can occur if:
- there is dual citizenship
- if the person is jailed for more than three years within seven years of given him the citizenship
- if the person’s behavior, action or speech is considered disloyal to the country
- if the person act as a spy or assist the enemy of the country especially during the period of war or leaks the country secret to enemies of the country
- if it is discovered that the person presented false or fake documents to acquire the citizenship.
DUAL CITIZENSHIP
A person shall forfeit his Nigerian citizenship if he is not a citizen of Nigeria by birth and acquires or retains the citizenship of another country of which he is not a citizen by birth.