The House of Representatives on Wednesday took a significant step toward amending the Nigerian Constitution by advancing a bill that seeks to introduce citizenship by investment.
The bill successfully passed its second reading, moving it closer to becoming law.
Sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and other lawmakers, the Citizenship by Investment Bill proposes granting Nigerian citizenship to foreign investors who meet a specified financial threshold or invest in strategic sectors crucial to national development. The initiative aims to attract foreign direct investment and stimulate economic growth.
House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, who presented the bill, emphasized its potential to bolster Nigeria’s economy. In addition to this, he introduced another constitutional amendment—the Indigene Status Bill—which seeks to redefine who qualifies as an indigene of a state.
According to the provisions of the Indigene Status Bill, individuals born in a state or those who have resided there for at least 10 years would be granted indigene status. Furthermore, women married to men from a different state for a minimum of five years would also be recognized as indigenes of their husband’s state.
Alongside these proposals, lawmakers are also reviewing Nigeria’s death penalty law. A proposed constitutional amendment seeks to align penalties for capital offences with international best practices. The amendment aims to ensure that punishments for such crimes remain fair, proportional, and compliant with human rights standards while maintaining public safety.
With the successful second reading, the bills will now undergo further legislative scrutiny before they can progress to the next stage of the constitutional amendment process.
