Citizenship by birth
The following persons are citizens of Nigeria by birth: every person born in Nigeria before the date of independence, either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents belongs or belonged to a community indigenous to Nigeria; every person born in Nigeria after the date of independence either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria; and every person born outside Nigeria either of whose parents is a citizen of Nigeria.
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Citizenship by registration
Any woman who is or has been married to a citizen of Nigeria; every person of full age and capacity born outside Nigeria any of whose grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria — may be registered as a citizen on application to the President and oath of allegiance.
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Citizenship by naturalisation
Any person who is of full age and capacity may apply to the President for the grant of a certificate of naturalisation, provided he is of good character, has shown a clear intention of his desire to be domiciled in Nigeria, and has resided continuously in Nigeria for fifteen years.
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Dual citizenship
A person shall forfeit forthwith his Nigerian citizenship if not being a citizen of Nigeria by birth, he acquires or retains the citizenship or nationality of a country other than Nigeria, of which he is not a citizen by birth.
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Renunciation of citizenship
Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation. Full age means the age of eighteen years and above. Any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.
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Deprivation of citizenship
The President may deprive a person, other than a person who is a citizen by birth, of his citizenship, if he is satisfied that such a person has, within a period of seven years after becoming naturalised, been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than three years; or has shown himself by act or speech to be disloyal towards the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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Persons deemed to be Nigerian citizens
For the purposes of this Chapter, a parent or grandparent of a person shall be deemed to be a citizen of Nigeria if at the time of the birth of that person such parent or grandparent would have possessed that status by birth if he had been alive on the date of independence.
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Power to make regulations
The President may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Chapter, prescribing all matters which are required or permitted to be prescribed or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the provisions of this Chapter.
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Source · CFRN 1999, as amended · /citizenship
Tier 1 · primary
Courts. Gazettes. National archives.
Tier 2 · corroborating
OCCRP. HRW. BudgIT. TheCable.
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