Nigeria moves to become third African country to offer citizenship by investment program

The citizenship by investment program will allow foreign investors to obtain Nigerian nationality in exchange for significant economic contributions.

This move aligns with global trends where countries leverage CBI programs to attract foreign capital, boost economic growth, and increase foreign direct investment.

Currently, Egypt and Mauritius are the only African nations offering formal citizenship by investment schemes.

Nigeria’s entry into this space could position it as a key player in attracting wealthy investors, entrepreneurs, and high-net-worth individuals seeking access to Africa’s largest economy.

The CIB program in focus

Egypt and Mauritius offer distinct Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs.

Egypt requires a $250,000 non-refundable contribution or investment in approved real estate or business.

Mauritius offers a Permanent Residency by Investment route, requiring a $375,000 real estate investment for a 20-year residence permit, with citizenship eligibility after seven years.

Nigeria's potential CBI program may follow either model, depending on its economic priorities and political stance.

CIB as bait for foreign investors?

Nigeria's House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards granting citizenship to foreign investors who meet specific financial thresholds.

The Citizenship by Investment Bill, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu and other lawmakers passed its second reading and aims to introduce a new class of citizenship known as citizenship by investment.

This move is designed to attract substantial foreign direct investment by offering nationality to individuals who make significant economic contributions to the country.

Although specific details about Nigeria’s program—such as the minimum investment threshold, qualifying sectors, and application criteria—are yet to be unveiled, experts suggest it could include investments in real estate, government bonds, or key economic sectors like petroleum, manufacturing and technology.

The proposed alteration aims to attract foreign direct investment by granting Nigerian citizenship to individuals who invest in the Nigerian economy above a specified financial threshold or in strategic sectors critical to national development.

If implemented successfully, Nigeria’s citizenship by investment program could reshape its economic landscape, making it a more attractive destination for global investors while strengthening its position as a major African economic hub.

By Solomon Ekanem, Business Insider Africa

Visa To Set Up A Data Centre In Nigeria

Visa has announced an investment into the construction of a state-of-the-art data center in Nigeria. This was revealed by Visa’s regional president, Andrew Torre, during a visit to Vice President Kashim Shettima.

This move signals a leap forward for Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and is more than just a corporate expansion. It is a strategic play to solidify Nigeria’s position in the global tech landscape. For years, Nigeria has relied on external data infrastructure. This has led to slow data processing (latency), concerns about data ownership (sovereignty), and vulnerability to disruptions outside the country.

Visa’s data center aims to solve these problems by bringing data storage and processing closer to home. This translates to faster, more reliable online transactions for everyone, from everyday consumers to large businesses.

Andrew Torre said that this project complements Visa’s existing $1 billion investment in Nigeria. This includes partnerships with Moniepoint for digital payment solutions, Interswitch, and ThriveAgric, supporting smallholder farmers and food security. The data center, however, is designed to bring new technologies to the Nigerian market, further fueling the nation’s digital economy.

Vice-President Shettima warmly welcomed Visa’s expansion, highlighting the Nigerian government’s commitment to fostering partnerships and driving digital growth. He particularly praised Visa’s investment in ThriveAgric, aligning with the government’s focus on modernizing the agriculture sector. He stated that Nigeria is where the action is noting the country’s leading position in Africa’s fintech scene.

The impact will range from faster online payments, smoother e-commerce experiences, and more reliable digital services across all sectors. This increased efficiency will stimulate economic growth and create a more robust digital ecosystem. Beyond speed, the data center addresses data sovereignty. Keeping data within Nigeria’s borders ensures greater control and security, empowering businesses and consumers alike.

By Sonya Israni, CIO Africa

Super Eagles bid for World Cup 2026 falters - Nigeria 1-1 Zimbabwe

Nigeria's hopes of a place at the 2026 Fifa World Cup are back in the balance after Zimbabwe netted a last-minute equaliser to leave the West Africans off the pace in Group C.

A diving header from Victor Osimhen had put the Super Eagles on the brink of a second successive victory, but on-loan Huddersfield forward Tawanda Chirewa stunned the home crowd in Uyo when he poked past Stanley Nwabali in the 90th minute.

After six rounds of the 10-match group campaign Nigeria have slipped to six points behind leaders South Africa, who secured a 2-0 away win against Benin through efforts from Burnley striker Lyle Foster and Jayden Adams.

Nigeria, who missed out on the 2022 finals in Qatar, are fourth in the group, a point behind Rwanda and Benin.

Only the nine group winners will qualify for the expanded 48-team tournament next year.

The four best second-placed sides will play off for a spot at an intercontinental tournament which will decide the final spots in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

After failing to win their first four games in Group C, pressure had been on Nigeria and their new coach Eric Chelle to take maximum points from their two fixtures this month.

Nigeria started with purpose against Zimbabwe, forcing visiting goalkeeper Washington Arubi into six saves in the opening 10 minutes.

Osimhen, who struck both goals in the 2-0 win over Rwanda on Friday, saw a volley from an acute angle tipped behind and his header from the resulting corner brilliantly clawed away.

After Alex Iwobi and substitute Tolu Arokodare had gone close it looked like Osimhen had given the Super Eagles another vital three points when he converted Ola Aina's cross in the 74th minute.

Zimbabwe almost levelled straight away when Nwabali failed to claim a cross from the left and Knowledge Musona stabbed against the crossbar.

And, after the Warriors silenced the Uyo crowd when Chirewa placed a calm finish under Nwabali at the death, Nigeria now need other results to go their way to force themselves back into contention.

BBC

Nigeria launches drone surveying pilot project to map capital Abuja

Nigeria is set to launch a pioneering drone survey project, aimed at creating digital twin maps of the country's capital Abuja, marking one of the first such initiatives in Africa. The project will utilize drone technology to capture 3D representations of buildings, providing an accurate and real-time digital model of the city’s landscape.

The project, which will be carried out over a timespan of three weeks, aims to advance land surveying and geospatial capabilities. With the growing importance of accurate geospatial data, this initiative will help modernize surveying practices and support urban planning and development efforts.

Collaboration with international experts will provide the technical support needed to process the data, further enhancing the country’s ability to leverage the latest technologies in geospatial information management. The project is also aligned with the broader goals of sustainable development, as surveying plays a key role in achieving 14 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Geospatial modernization strategy

In addition to the ongoing project, Nigeria has experienced recent successes in staff development, including the training of over 100 personnel through collaborations with the United Nations. These trained staff will serve as focal points for the office’s continued modernization efforts. Furthermore, the office has made strides in creating a National Repository of Metadata for gathering and handling geospatial data and is working to support federal ministries with mapping and geo-spatial information services.

A review of the Survey Coordination Act of Nigeria may also be beneficial to ensure that the office operates with the most relevant and effective legal framework.

If successful, this project could pave the way for similar mapping initiatives in other Nigerian cities, while also serving as a model for other African countries. It would further enhance the country’s geospatial capabilities and support its urban development goals.

GIM International

Canada denies over 13,000 Nigerians refugee status

Over 13,000 Nigerians who applied for refugee protection in Canada from January 2013 to December 2024 were rejected.

Data from the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada said this figure includes 811 Nigerians whose applications were turned down in 2024.

The breakdown of the rejections showed that 127 Nigerian claims were rejected in 2013, 241 in 2014 and 248 in 2015.

In 2016, 2017 and 2018, 476, 917 and 1,777 claims were rejected, respectively.

In 2019, 3,951 Nigerian applicants were turned down, marking the highest number of rejected claims by Nigerians.

Meanwhile, 1,770, 1,686, 728, 439 and 811 persons were denied protection in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.

The board placed Nigeria among the top five countries with the most rejected claims in 2024.

Mexico tops the list with 2,954 rejections, followed by India and Haiti, which have 1,688 and 982 rejected claims respectively.

Colombia is in fourth place with 723 rejected claims, while Nigeria is in fifth place with 811 rejections.

In Canada, asylum seekers get refugee protection if the RPD satisfactorily confirms that their claims meet the United Nations definition of a Convention refugee.

Daily Trust