- Nigeria's House of Representatives passed the second reading of the Citizenship by Investment Bill
- Proposed constitutional changes also included revisions to indigene status and a review of the death penalty law in Nigeria
- The Citizenship by Investment Bill aimed to attract foreign investors in strategic sectors vital to Nigeria’s development
A bill proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to include citizenship by investment as one of the classes of citizenship, passed its second reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill, which was presented on Wednesday, March 26, aimed to introduce a new category of citizenship based on investment.
Citizenship by investment bill passes 2nd reading
The Bill outlined provisions for granting Nigerian citizenship to foreign investors who meet specified financial thresholds and invest in the country's economy, particularly in strategic sectors vital to national development.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and other lawmakers sponsored the bill, which was presented for its second reading by House leader Prof Julius Ihonvbere.
In addition to the Citizenship by Investment Bill, the House considered other proposed amendments. Among these was the Indigene Status Bill, which seeks to amend the Constitution to guarantee indigene status for individuals based on birth, continuous residence of at least 10 years, or marriage.
The bill's explanatory memorandum included provisions to alter Section 31 of the Constitution, introducing new subsections that define indigene status more broadly.
The proposed changes would allow a person to be recognised as an indigene if they were born in a state and lived there for a continuous period of at least 10 years, or if they have resided in a local government area of the state for 10 years and paid taxes.
Nigeria considers changes to death penalty law, others
Additionally, the bill grants women married to indigenes of different states the right to be recognised as indigenes after five years of marriage, with similar rights in public office, employment, and appointments.
In cases of divorce or death, the woman may retain her indigene status if there are children from the marriage or if she chooses to do so.
Other bills presented include one seeking to review Nigeria’s death penalty law, aligning it with international best practices. This amendment would adjust penalties for certain capital offences to reflect global standards of fairness and human rights, while still addressing public safety and serious crimes.
Another bill discussed proposed the creation of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, alongside the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federal Government.
This bill suggested that the Accountant-General would hold office for a four-year term, which could be renewed for an additional term and would remain in office until reaching the age of 60 or 35 years of public service, whichever comes first.
House of Reps passes 39 bills, including electoral and judicial changes
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that 39 constitutional amendment bills were passed in the House of Representatives, covering reforms in judicial, electoral, legislative, and governance matters.
Notable proposals included the creation of special seats for interest groups in the House of Representatives.