Nigerian Citizenship Act
The Nigerian Citizenship Act defines the categories of Nigerian citizenship, the requirements for acquisition of citizenship, and the conditions under which citizenship may be renounced or forfeited. It provides for citizenship by birth, descent, naturalization, and registration, and addresses dual citizenship.
Legal area: Law governing the entry, residence, and status of foreign nationals.
Year enacted: 1979
Full text: https://lawsofnigeria.placng.org/laws/citizenship-act.html
Key Provisions
- Part II: Citizenship by birth at the date of independence or birth in Nigeria
- Part III: Citizenship by descent from a Nigerian parent
- Part IV: Citizenship by registration for women married to Nigerian citizens
- Part V: Citizenship by naturalization
- Section 28: Conditions under which citizenship may be renounced
- Section 30: Conditions under which citizenship may be forfeited
Significance
The Nigerian Citizenship Act defines the legal relationship between the Nigerian state and its citizens. The Act was amended in 2011 to permit dual citizenship for Nigerian citizens by birth, a significant change to the earlier prohibition.