Nigeria’s Ministry of Interior has received 170 applications for citizenship from nationals across several countries, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announced on Monday, pledging that the process will remain transparent and merit-based.
Speaking at a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Nigerian Citizenship in Abuja, which he chairs, Tunji-Ojo underscored that “Nigerian citizenship is a privilege that must be earned through integrity and good character.”
In a statement issued by the ministry, the minister cautioned against attempts to obtain citizenship through fraudulent or irregular channels, warning that the Federal Government “will not tolerate any attempt to acquire Nigerian citizenship through illegal means.”
He reiterated the government’s commitment to orderly and lawful migration, stressing that due process remains central to the nation’s immigration policy.
Tunji-Ojo further linked the exercise to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying the committee’s work “supports the administration’s vision for national integrity, security, and prosperity.”
The Advisory Committee on Nigerian Citizenship plays a crucial role in screening and recommending qualified applicants to the Federal Executive Council for approval, a process the government says it intends to uphold with “utmost diligence and transparency.”
