Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by Obakoolex(m): 10:25pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
I will always love my dear country Nigeria! Stories about Israelites in the Bible...many times the nation crashed, ran to the ground, even whole nation captured, many ran away...some stayed but alas They saw a brighter day!!! I believe oneday Nigeria will be great again, and I and my children and those that also have faith and believe will reap the fruits of the land and have more than enough.... 1 Like |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by hush15: 10:31pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
bestman09: Nigerians spend over $1 billion buying foreign citizenship, golden visas – report By Agencies -December 13, 2020
Some Nigerians have spent over $1billion this year, 2020, buying themselves citizenship of other countries or golden visas as they plan ahead for safe haven should Nigeria collapse as a nation.
The $1billion is a conservative estimate, given the number of applications processed by the citizenship advisory firms.
According to a report published by Al Jazeera, more Nigerians paid for citizenship or golden visas in 2020 more than any other year.
At London-based Henley & Partners, one of the world’s largest citizenship advisory firms, applications by Nigerians increased by 185% during the eight months to September 2020; making them the second-largest nationality to apply for such schemes after Indians.
More than 1,000 Nigerians have enquired about the citizenship of another country through Henley & Partners this year alone, which Paddy Blewer, Head of Marketing, said “is unheard of.”
“We’ve never had this many people contacting us”, Blewer said.
Arton Capital, a citizenship advisory group, said “demand from Nigerian families for Antigua and Barbuda citizenship is up 15% in 2020 compared with the last.”
St Lucia has also seen a record number of Nigerians applying in 2020. “It’s more than it’s ever been over the past four years,” says Nestor Alfred, CEO of the St Lucia Citizenship-by-Investment Unit.
The rush to escape from Nigeria reached the apogee in July, with the coronavirus epidemic raging.
Another propelling factor has been the recent #EndSARS protest, according to the report.
A Nigerian interviewed in the report, cited the escalation of COVID-19 cases as a reason wealthy Nigerians started looking more seriously at citizenship abroad.
“Those with medical conditions that could not fly out – a lot of them are buying passports just because if there is any problem they can fly out,” said Olusegun Paul Andrew, 56, a Nigerian entrepreneur and investor who spends much of the year in the Netherlands.
“Flying out” of Nigeria is hard and not just because of the coronavirus pandemic. Just 26 countries allow Nigerian passport holders visa-free entry, many of them part of West Africa’s ECOWAS arrangement. Both the United Kingdom and Europe’s Schengen zone require Nigerians to obtain visas ahead of travelling.
For the wealthy, this is too much hassle. “They don’t want to be queueing for visas for any EU country or whatever”, says Andrew. Instead, why not purchase the citizenship of a country with visa-free access to Europe?
According to the report, the destinations of Nigerians seeking citizenship or golden visas are Malta and many Caribbean nations.
In Malta, all they need to do for citizenship is to have an investment of between $100,000 to $800,000 in the country.
In St Kitts and Nevis, a passport can cost as much as $400,000.
The passport opens doors to Europe and America, where they do not to get visas anymore.
Bimpe, a wealthy Nigerian who was interviewed for the report said she has three passports. One Nigerian, which she says she never uses, and two from Caribbean nations: St Kitts and Nevis; and Grenada.
The St. Kitts and Nevis passport, which cost her $400,000 via a real estate investment programme, was useful when she travelled between London and New York on business as it allows for visa-free travel to the UK and Europe.
But now that she has retired in Abuja, Bimpe, whose husband has passed away, wants her three adult sons to have the same opportunities to travel and live abroad.
“My kids were interested in visa-free travel. They are young graduates, wanting to explore the world. So that was the reason for my investment”, she explains.
Her investment to gain a Grenada passport for herself and her sons took the form of a $300,000 stake in the Six Senses La Sagesse hotel on the Caribbean island, which she bought in 2015.
https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/nigerians-spend-1-billion-buying-foreign-citizenship-golden-visas-report-332750 I didn't read that epistle but I know we ain't done buying yet. Even Nigeria itself needs dual citizenship 1 Like |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by goshen26: 10:34pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
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Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by RuggedSniper: 10:35pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
bestman09: Nigerians spend over $1 billion buying foreign citizenship, golden visas – report By Agencies -December 13, 2020
Some Nigerians have spent over $1billion this year, 2020, buying themselves citizenship of other countries or golden visas as they plan ahead for safe haven should Nigeria collapse as a nation.
The $1billion is a conservative estimate, given the number of applications processed by the citizenship advisory firms.
According to a report published by Al Jazeera, more Nigerians paid for citizenship or golden visas in 2020 more than any other year.
At London-based Henley & Partners, one of the world’s largest citizenship advisory firms, applications by Nigerians increased by 185% during the eight months to September 2020; making them the second-largest nationality to apply for such schemes after Indians.
More than 1,000 Nigerians have enquired about the citizenship of another country through Henley & Partners this year alone, which Paddy Blewer, Head of Marketing, said “is unheard of.”
“We’ve never had this many people contacting us”, Blewer said.
Arton Capital, a citizenship advisory group, said “demand from Nigerian families for Antigua and Barbuda citizenship is up 15% in 2020 compared with the last.”
St Lucia has also seen a record number of Nigerians applying in 2020. “It’s more than it’s ever been over the past four years,” says Nestor Alfred, CEO of the St Lucia Citizenship-by-Investment Unit.
The rush to escape from Nigeria reached the apogee in July, with the coronavirus epidemic raging.
Another propelling factor has been the recent #EndSARS protest, according to the report.
A Nigerian interviewed in the report, cited the escalation of COVID-19 cases as a reason wealthy Nigerians started looking more seriously at citizenship abroad.
“Those with medical conditions that could not fly out – a lot of them are buying passports just because if there is any problem they can fly out,” said Olusegun Paul Andrew, 56, a Nigerian entrepreneur and investor who spends much of the year in the Netherlands.
“Flying out” of Nigeria is hard and not just because of the coronavirus pandemic. Just 26 countries allow Nigerian passport holders visa-free entry, many of them part of West Africa’s ECOWAS arrangement. Both the United Kingdom and Europe’s Schengen zone require Nigerians to obtain visas ahead of travelling.
For the wealthy, this is too much hassle. “They don’t want to be queueing for visas for any EU country or whatever”, says Andrew. Instead, why not purchase the citizenship of a country with visa-free access to Europe?
According to the report, the destinations of Nigerians seeking citizenship or golden visas are Malta and many Caribbean nations.
In Malta, all they need to do for citizenship is to have an investment of between $100,000 to $800,000 in the country.
In St Kitts and Nevis, a passport can cost as much as $400,000.
The passport opens doors to Europe and America, where they do not to get visas anymore.
Bimpe, a wealthy Nigerian who was interviewed for the report said she has three passports. One Nigerian, which she says she never uses, and two from Caribbean nations: St Kitts and Nevis; and Grenada.
The St. Kitts and Nevis passport, which cost her $400,000 via a real estate investment programme, was useful when she travelled between London and New York on business as it allows for visa-free travel to the UK and Europe.
But now that she has retired in Abuja, Bimpe, whose husband has passed away, wants her three adult sons to have the same opportunities to travel and live abroad.
“My kids were interested in visa-free travel. They are young graduates, wanting to explore the world. So that was the reason for my investment”, she explains.
Her investment to gain a Grenada passport for herself and her sons took the form of a $300,000 stake in the Six Senses La Sagesse hotel on the Caribbean island, which she bought in 2015.
https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/nigerians-spend-1-billion-buying-foreign-citizenship-golden-visas-report-332750 We know what we know... ![wink](https://www.nairaland.com/faces/wink.png) |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by pastie(m): 10:38pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
Loveknitting:
Haba, we are not the ones that hang Jesus, we have been through wosrt as a nigerian already. As it's purported by Adesina, a time will come when you will have to get clearance from the military before going about your normal businesses. The insecurity here in the north is fast spreading to other regions and our personels are overstretched 1 Like |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by ednut1(m): 10:43pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
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Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by imagrg(m): 10:49pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
See why the youths must not instigate riot or warfare in the country?
The rich run away after spinning trouble for you and later come back with their children to enjoy the sacrifice you made while you may not live to see the change you fought for!
Be reasonable: embrace dialogue to make the desired change. |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by Adakintroy: 10:55pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
Capital flightght ticket.
Funny thing it's the dummy that say the country is not good that's why they are running that is the worst part of this Nigeria enigma.
.they take both talent and money away.
Imagine if Mandela had said his country was not good and took to flight.
Don't even have the right courage or sense of patriotism to approach things yet they insult the country.
Bloody cowards all of them. 5 Likes |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by Nobody: 11:03pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
n dey will. spend more shitting country |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by IJEYdiamond(f): 11:19pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
ednut1: Even me wey no get money i wrote ielts 7 times. Because i knew i had to japa. Make my unborn no con dey curse me. God bless Canada ![grin](https://www.nairaland.com/faces/grin.png) How is the exam... that you wrote it 7x.. like Tofel ![](/faces/huh.png) Or harder...!! |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by bizhop01: 11:22pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
Finally I'm on the move because my unborn children will never forgive me if i continue with Nigeria,
Papa God thank you. 4 Likes |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by bluebay(m): 11:24pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
What’s the governments Business ? |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by smallsmall: 11:26pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
Patrioticman007:
Guy you made my laughter burstout...." IDP country ".
Corruption destroyed this country not PMB, moreover PMB is also a victim of corruption & nepotism. Let's unite & end this corruption for our better tomorrow. As of today, he is the enabler and father of corruption.There was corruption, serious corruption under Jonathan but even we Sai Baba have to agree that under PMB, Corruption has taken a free reign.And the stealing is no longer in Millions of Naira (like #600M), now it is in Billions of Dollars! They borrow and then loot 3/4 of it and the remaining 1/4 is used to service Niger Republic.
Even Buhari and his Minister are using $1.6 to buy writing Pens!Dont even mention his Nepotism or how he enables insecurity by shielding killer Fulani Herdsmen from other Countries who come into Nigeria and kill Nigerians 5 Likes |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by DonX001: 11:26pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
sweetmelanin:
Scariest part is Nigeria will still get worse than it currently is. lindareep:
Prayer or curse? Neither. Fact! 1 Like |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by ednut1(m): 11:28pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
IJEYdiamond:
How is the exam... that you wrote it 7x.. like Tofel Or harder...!! its not hard. I was only unlucky. I usually passed 3 modules, but one module i needed 7,i was scoring 6.5 |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by calcal: 11:35pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
SmartPolician: The only people who still believe in Nigeria are those who cannot afford a dual citizenship.
Sensible Nigerians know that Nigeria is finished
That's why many reasonable people want out of the dysfunctional union.
I insist that every separatist group has a strong reason why they don't want to belong to Nigeria anymore. You are educated and smart. keep it going 1 Like |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by chinchum(m): 11:36pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
@$100,000 per citizenship bought, that translates to 10,000 Nigerians. Much ado about nothing. |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by smallsmall: 11:37pm On Dec 13, 2020 |
Adakintroy: Capital flightght ticket.
Funny thing it's the dummy that say the country is not good that's why they are running that is the worst part of this Nigeria enigma.
.they take both talent and money away.
Imagine if Mandela had said his country was not good and took to flight.
Don't even have the right courage or sense of patriotism to approach things yet they insult the country.
Bloody cowards all of them. Please be honest to yourself, for once! A lot of Nigerians in Diaspora have come back into this country to invest and they always regret it at the end of the day. Dont even mention Mandela, when you are mentioning this Nigerian Dictator.You mean Mandela ruled South Africa the way this Niger Republic man is ruling Nigeria? You mean Mandela appointed only Black people to his Govt? You mean Mandela refused or was unable to address his people, when they ask him to? You mean Mandela turned his own Army on his own Youths? You mean Mandela was using his country's money to develop another country nearby or had divided loyalty? You mean Mandela was sleeping and foreigners were coming into South African Schools and kidnapping their Children? You mean Mandela is the Grand Patron of terrorists (like the Fulani herdsmen), that can come in and kill South Africans at will? You mean Mandela is not concerned about Insecurity in his country, as long as his appointed Military top brass swear allegiance to him, to keep him in power at all cost, while they loot money and are clueless about how to check insecurity? You mean Mandela failed to build a single World Class Hospital in five years, while he runs to another country like UK for Ear treatment and even his wife? You mean Mandela will appoint incompetent people in sensitive places of the economy, just because they are from his Clan and wont mind what happens to the Economy? You mean Mandela will ask his people to go and negotiate with those killing them like fowls, just because he has allegiance to the killers? Please, for the sake of God, dont insult Mandela by comparing him to this mistake we have in Nigeria. Otherwise, what happened in 1914 will repeat itself. 9 Likes |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by Tremple8v: 12:21am On Dec 14, 2020 |
The country has no structure anymore, it can collapse anytime. |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by nkemjacob2(m): 12:35am On Dec 14, 2020 |
Lai Mohammad words. It is fake news and aljazerah must be sanction for its ill reporting |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by ratiken(m): 12:48am On Dec 14, 2020 |
smallsmall:
Please be honest to yourself, for once! A lot of Nigerians in Diaspora have come back into this country to invest and they always regret it at the end of the day. Dont even mention Mandela, when you are mentioning this Nigerian Dictator.
You mean Mandela ruled South Africa the way this Niger Republic man is ruling Nigeria? You mean Mandela appointed only Black people to his Govt? You mean Mandela refused or was unable to address his people, when they ask him to? You mean Mandela turned his own Army on his own Youths? You mean Mandela was using his country's money to develop another country nearby or had divided loyalty? You mean Mandela was sleeping and foreigners were coming into South African Schools and kidnapping their Children? You mean Mandela is the Grand Patron of terrorists (like the Fulani herdsmen), that can come in and kill South Africans at will? You mean Mandela is not concerned about Insecurity in his country, as long as his appointed Military top brass swear allegiance to him, to keep him in power at all cost, while they loot money and are clueless about how to check insecurity? You mean Mandela failed to build a single World Class Hospital in five years, while he runs to another country like UK for Ear treatment and even his wife? You mean Mandela will appoint incompetent people in sensitive places of the economy, just because they are from his Clan and wont mind what happens to the Economy? You mean Mandela will ask his people to go and negotiate with those killing them like fowls, just because he has allegiance to the killers?
Please, for the sake of God, dont insult Mandela by comparing him to this mistake we have in Nigeria. Otherwise, what happened in 1914 will repeat itself. Apt response. No comparing apples and oranges. |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by Litmus: 1:31am On Dec 14, 2020 |
Many of you are lying to yourselves, condemning Nigeria and some of you are trying to absolve yourselves of blame for why some of these wealthy Nigerians want to flee Nigeria. Many of these rich Nigerians are not fleeing poverty or dysfunctionnality in Nigeria; no, they are leaving Nigeria firstly because certain Nations are poaching them. These nations like Bermuda and others are pouching wealthy individuals from any nation by providing enabling climate for the wealthy. Secondly, some, wealthy Nigerians are fleeing because of the rise of envy in Nigeria. I was one of the first to bring up this issue on Nairaland. I was responding to a Nairalanda who started a post highlighting the many mansions in Abuja, which drew in many respondents that started castigating the wealthy. This poster was one of the pioneers of the “Elites are exploiting the poor” sentiment that became fashionable on Nairaland. And, of course, Nairaland is popular and influential in Nigeria.
Nigerians are not known for envying the wealthy but are known for admiring the wealthy. For this latter reason, Nigerians are sometimes accused of worshipping the wealthy. If envying the wealthy and worshiping the wealthy are societal ills, then in terms of society and nation building, envying the wealthy is the greater and more destructive force. I’ve repeatedly warned and argued that when the West wants to destroy and African Nation, they first use the power of the media to make the African people disrespect their leaders, they also make the people disrespect their culture and they put in the peoples head an antagonism against the wealthy.
All that I’ve written is in a simplified form in order to keep the writing short. So, in short, the wealthy are actually taking up nationality in Nations that want them. Whoever stated that these Wealthy Nigerians are buying citizenship elsewhere is being mischievous, to put it politely. `This is because, in a manner of speaking, these wealthy people, not only from Nigeria, could be said to be buying citizenship in the way a man who spends money on his girlfriend could be said to be buying her affection. In reality, these wealthy Nigerians and others are being enticed by nations like Bermuda, Barbuda, Isle of White or whatever, with secure offshore banking, favourable taxation, duty free casinos, gambling, women, and security etcetera. And some wealthy Nigerians, that might have otherwise stayed in Nigeria and invested their wealth in Nigeria, are being pushed away not by government but by you people, you on Social Media, preaching ethnic hate and encouraging Nigerians to rise up and destroy everything. You create a narrative of future disruption and destruction the wealthy will flee this future and leave you to destroy yourselves. `I guess if the West can no longer steal your money through the Swiss Bank architecture because that archecture has been compromised by WOKEism, they can steal your money indirectly by stealing your wealthy. |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by Gerrard59(m): 1:46am On Dec 14, 2020 |
Litmus: Many of you are lying to yourselves, condemning Nigeria and . I’ve repeatedly warned and argued that when the West wants to destroy and African Nation, they first use the power of the media to make the African people disrespect their leaders, they also make the people disrespect their culture and they put in the peoples head an antagonism against the wealthy.
All that I’ve written is in a simplified form in order to keep the writing short. So, in short, the wealthy are actually taking up nationality in Nations that want them. Whoever stated that these Wealthy Nigerians are buying citizenship elsewhere is being mischievous, to put it politely. `This is because, in a manner of speaking, these wealthy
Why should an average Nigerian respect Buhari and Co? How come the west isn't instigating Asians to do same? Why should African youths respect people who cannot formulate good economic policies so that jobs can be created to reduce the extremely high unemployment rate? 1 Like |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by Litmus: 1:50am On Dec 14, 2020 |
When some of you idiots were shouting corruption, elite, greedy politicians at each other and going online to cuss and complain about Nigeria, thinking that the world is with you, the world simply laughed in secret at your naivety. They knew that their own societies and nations were at least as rotten as anything you can dream up to throw at Nigeria. But they keep quite and watched. They listened. And once in a while even respond in the way you want by saying they felt sorry for you and that you are suffering in Nigeria. Yet all the time some of them where plotting how to entice your so called corrupt politicians and elites with their so-called stolen gains, to come over to their country to come invest all that money with them. |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by calcal: 1:55am On Dec 14, 2020 |
Obakoolex: I will always love my dear country Nigeria! Stories about Israelites in the Bible...many times the nation crashed, ran to the ground, even whole nation captured, many ran away...some stayed but alas They saw a brighter day!!! I believe oneday Nigeria will be great again, and I and my children and those that also have faith and believe will reap the fruits of the land and have more than enough.... Observation: Israel is one nation but Nigeria NO many times the nation crashed. Did you have a nation? the answer NO. No time in history that Nigeria was a great country, so there is nothing to reference to. Bset thing is to pray for the division of Nigeria. Arewa, Biafra, Oduduwa, Ijew, Edo, Calabar, Igbira - 7 nations in one country just like in United Arab Emirate or in Great Britain with 4 nations in one county 3 Likes |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by Nchenches: 1:57am On Dec 14, 2020 |
Fahdiga1: Buhari has turned the whole of Nigeria to IDP that everyone is trying hard to escape from it Worse, Buhari has concluded plans to hand over to another marabout leader - BAT - in 2023. Who in his/her right senses will believe that APC which brought Nigeria to this mess shall win presidential election in 2023, if not for the skewed and lopsided political structure of Nigeria which makes the Buhari-led clan in northern Nigeria largely determine who must win Nigeria’s presidential election? |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by Nobody: 2:07am On Dec 14, 2020 |
Obakoolex: I will always love my dear country Nigeria! Stories about Israelites in the Bible...many times the nation crashed, ran to the ground, even whole nation captured, many ran away...some stayed but alas They saw a brighter day!!! I believe oneday Nigeria will be great again, and I and my children and those that also have faith and believe will reap the fruits of the land and have more than enough.... British contraption controlled by Fulani swines. Wake up bro! |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by Litmus: 2:13am On Dec 14, 2020 |
Funny, but the use Swine is almost always, in my experience, a Ghanaian usage. Another word they often use, is Devilish. Nigerians are Devilish or Swines, I often here them say or write… |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by Nchenches: 2:13am On Dec 14, 2020 |
tunapawizzy: alll becos we want to escape the uselessness of our system/leaders/political class, just imagine how much we are loading into other economies, so we can have free access to europe and america where we can also spend more of our fortune, where we can push our children to live and work causing more brain drain for our dear country ........THIS COUNTRY WILL NEVER RECOVER, NO BE CURSE...imagine these monies getting circulated within the Nigerian economy, , even if it is stolen, the stealer should spend it inside this naija economy..and ofcourse this 1bn dols doesnt capture lots of millions of dollars and euros our people pay for contract marriage to get passport, money that can be invested back home if all was well In bold. There are some foolish optimists who still believe that a messiah shall emerge to lead Nigeria to prosperity in future after PMB. They never understood that from the present political structure of Nigeria skewed by northern military dictators, no messiah of a leader can ever emerge to take Nigeria to prosperity. |
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Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by Kingchineme6(m): 3:00am On Dec 14, 2020 |
Biiiiiimpe come and adopt me ![grin](https://www.nairaland.com/faces/grin.png) 1 Like |
Re: Nigerians Spent Over $1b Buying Foreign Citizenship In 2020 by akigbemaru: 3:10am On Dec 14, 2020 |
bestman09: Nigerians spend over $1 billion buying foreign citizenship, golden visas – report By Agencies -December 13, 2020
Some Nigerians have spent over $1billion this year, 2020, buying themselves citizenship of other countries or golden visas as they plan ahead for safe haven should Nigeria collapse as a nation.
The $1billion is a conservative estimate, given the number of applications processed by the citizenship advisory firms.
According to a report published by Al Jazeera, more Nigerians paid for citizenship or golden visas in 2020 more than any other year.
At London-based Henley & Partners, one of the world’s largest citizenship advisory firms, applications by Nigerians increased by 185% during the eight months to September 2020; making them the second-largest nationality to apply for such schemes after Indians.
More than 1,000 Nigerians have enquired about the citizenship of another country through Henley & Partners this year alone, which Paddy Blewer, Head of Marketing, said “is unheard of.”
“We’ve never had this many people contacting us”, Blewer said.
Arton Capital, a citizenship advisory group, said “demand from Nigerian families for Antigua and Barbuda citizenship is up 15% in 2020 compared with the last.”
St Lucia has also seen a record number of Nigerians applying in 2020. “It’s more than it’s ever been over the past four years,” says Nestor Alfred, CEO of the St Lucia Citizenship-by-Investment Unit.
The rush to escape from Nigeria reached the apogee in July, with the coronavirus epidemic raging.
Another propelling factor has been the recent #EndSARS protest, according to the report.
A Nigerian interviewed in the report, cited the escalation of COVID-19 cases as a reason wealthy Nigerians started looking more seriously at citizenship abroad.
“Those with medical conditions that could not fly out – a lot of them are buying passports just because if there is any problem they can fly out,” said Olusegun Paul Andrew, 56, a Nigerian entrepreneur and investor who spends much of the year in the Netherlands.
“Flying out” of Nigeria is hard and not just because of the coronavirus pandemic. Just 26 countries allow Nigerian passport holders visa-free entry, many of them part of West Africa’s ECOWAS arrangement. Both the United Kingdom and Europe’s Schengen zone require Nigerians to obtain visas ahead of travelling.
For the wealthy, this is too much hassle. “They don’t want to be queueing for visas for any EU country or whatever”, says Andrew. Instead, why not purchase the citizenship of a country with visa-free access to Europe?
According to the report, the destinations of Nigerians seeking citizenship or golden visas are Malta and many Caribbean nations.
In Malta, all they need to do for citizenship is to have an investment of between $100,000 to $800,000 in the country.
In St Kitts and Nevis, a passport can cost as much as $400,000.
The passport opens doors to Europe and America, where they do not to get visas anymore.
Bimpe, a wealthy Nigerian who was interviewed for the report said she has three passports. One Nigerian, which she says she never uses, and two from Caribbean nations: St Kitts and Nevis; and Grenada.
The St. Kitts and Nevis passport, which cost her $400,000 via a real estate investment programme, was useful when she travelled between London and New York on business as it allows for visa-free travel to the UK and Europe.
But now that she has retired in Abuja, Bimpe, whose husband has passed away, wants her three adult sons to have the same opportunities to travel and live abroad.
“My kids were interested in visa-free travel. They are young graduates, wanting to explore the world. So that was the reason for my investment”, she explains.
Her investment to gain a Grenada passport for herself and her sons took the form of a $300,000 stake in the Six Senses La Sagesse hotel on the Caribbean island, which she bought in 2015.
https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/nigerians-spend-1-billion-buying-foreign-citizenship-golden-visas-report-332750 |