The UK’s Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has vowed that she would make the process of acquiring British citizenship more difficult for Nigerians.
In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Badenoch stated that too many Nigerians have been able to obtain British citizenship with ease, arguing that such a system leaves the UK vulnerable.
“Loads of Nigerians come to the UK and stay for a relatively free period of time, acquiring British citizenship. We need to stop being naive,” she said.
“That is why under my leadership, we now have policies to make it harder to just get British citizenship. It has been too easy.”
Badenoch emphasized that immigrants often exploit the British system, warning that her administration would introduce stricter controls to prevent what she described as abuse.
When asked whether she would support Nigerian immigrants creating a “mini-Nigeria” in the UK as a form of cultural expression, Badenoch firmly rejected the idea.
“That is not right. Nigerians would not tolerate that. That’s not something that many countries would accept,” she remarked.
“There are many people who come to our country, to the UK, who do things that would not be acceptable in their countries.”
Born in the UK to Nigerian parents and having spent part of her childhood in Nigeria, Badenoch’s comments have sparked criticism and debate, especially among Africans in the diaspora.
Her stance continues to make headlines, as many question the implications of her policies and the message it sends about her connection to her roots.
