TheCable

Out of 600 applications received, the federal government has granted Nigerian citizenship to 286 foreign nationals.

Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior, said the applications were approved at the federal executive council (FEC) meeting, which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday.

The minister told state house correspondents that 208 of those approved were granted citizenship by naturalisation while 78 others were granted citizenship by registration.

Aregbesola said the approved applications cut across citizens from different countries.

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, described the approval of the memo on citizenship as “groundbreaking”, adding that it came at the time some Nigerians are saying the country is unfit to live in.

Mohammed added that many foreigners around the world apply daily for Nigerian citizenship.

“It’s a groundbreaking memo as it will tell you because just as some people think Nigeria is not a fit and proper place to live,” the minister said.

“We have thousands of people who are applying daily all over the world from virtually every continent to be citizens of Nigeria. I think that is very instructive.”

In 2017, the federal government granted Nigerian citizenship to 335 foreigners — out of the 500 applications received by the government.