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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 July 2009
Since 1979, there have been significant changes in the law relating to citizenship in Nigeria. These changes came with the enactment in that year of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1979. The citizenship provisions of the 1979 Constitution have been slightly modified and reenacted in the 1989 Constitution which will come into effect on October 1, 1992. In this article, we shall examine the current Nigerian law on citizenship as ordained by the 1979 Constitution as well as the changes introduced by the 1989 Constitution. This will be done against the background of the historical development of citizenship laws in the country prior to, and since independence on October 1, 1960.
1 Chapter III.
2 Chapter III; See, s. 2(2), Decree 12, 1989 and s. 331, 1989 Constitution.
3 Nwabueze, B. O., A Constitutional History of Nigeria, 1982, 29–35.Google Scholar
4 For details, see Parry, Clive, Nationality and Citizenship Laws of the Commonwealth and The Republic of Ireland, 1957.Google Scholar
5 British Protectorate, Protected State and Protected Persons Order in Council 1949, S.I. No. 140, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and Lagos, 1958, Volume XIGoogle Scholar.
6 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and Lagos, 1960, L.N. No. 159 (Independence Constitution).Google Scholar
7 Constitution of the Federation, 1963.
8 Decree No. 33 of 1974.
9 Constitution, 1963, s. 1(2).
10 For a detailed discussion of these changes, see Nwogugu, E. I., “Recent Changes in Nigerian Nationality and Citizenship Law”, (1976) 25 I.C.L.Q, 432–439.Google Scholar
11 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1979; see s. 321, 1989 Constitution.
12 Ss. 26 and 27, 1979 Constitution and 28 and 29, 1989 Constitution.
13 This power is vested in the President under both the 1979 and 1989 Constitutions, ss. 29 and 31 respectively; in the Commissioner for Internal Affairs with the approval of the Federal Executive Council under the 1963 Constitution, s. 16; and in the Governor-General under the 1960 Nigerian Citizenship Act, s. 17.
14 1960 Constitution, s. 16(2); 1963 Constitution, s. 17(2).
15 1979 and 1989 Constitutions, ss. 23 and 25 respectively.
16 Above n. 15, ss. 24 and 26.
17 Above n. 15, ss. 25 and 27.
18 Proviso to ss. 23(l)(a) and 25(l)(a) respectively, of the 1979 and 1989 Constitutions.
19 Above n. 15, ss. 23(1)(a) and 25(1)(a).
20 Above n. 15, ss. 26(1) and (3) and 29(1) and (3).
21 Rhyne, Charles, International Law, 1971, 85Google Scholar; Jacobsen, G. A. and Lipman, M. H., Political Science, Second Edition 1978, 67–68.Google Scholar
22 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1979, s. 28 defines which parents and grandparents qualify as citizens for purposes of Chapter III of the Constitution; see also s. 31 of the 1989 Constitution.
23 1963 Constitution, section 9(4).
24 Above n. 15, ss. 23(l)(c) and 25(l)(c) respectively.
25 1989 Constitution, s. 25(l)(c).
26 Above n. 15, ss. 24(2) and 26(2).
27 Above n. 15, ss. 24(1) and 26(1).
28 Compare ss. 24 and 26 respectively of the 1979 and 1989 Constitutions with s. 8(3) of the 1963 Constitution.
29 Above n. 15, ss. 29 and 31.
30 Above n. 15, ss. 274 and 321.
31 Above n. 15, ss. 26(2) and 28(2).
32 1989 Constitution, s. 26(3).
33 For a detailed discussion, see Cheshire & North's Private International Law, 11th Edition, 752–768Google Scholar, Dicey, & Morris’, The Conflict of Laws, 11th Edition, 874–880 (volume 2).Google Scholar
34 Re Valentine's Settlement [1965] Ch. 831.Google Scholar
35 Above n, 15, ss. 25(2)(b) and 27(2)(b).
36 Nigerian Citizenship Regulations 1974, Form C.
37 s. 1(3) in both the 1979 and 1989 Constitutions.
38 Above n. 15, ss. 25(2)(c) and 27(2)(c).
39 L.N. 58 of 1974, Form F.
40 Above n. ss. 25(2)(d) and 27(2)(d).
41 See Nigerian Citizenship Act, 1960, clause (c), Second Schedule; 1963 Constitution, s. 9(2) (e).Google Scholar
42 See, Nwogugu, loc. cit. at 433–434Google Scholar.
43 Above n. ss. 25(2)(e) and 27(2)(e).
44 Above n. ss. 25(2)(f) and 27(2)(f).
45 Above n. 15, ss. 25(2)(g) and 27(2)(g)”.
46 See the proviso to s. 9(2) (e) of the 1963 Constitution as amended by Decree No. 33 of 1974.
47 Above n. ss. 29(1) and 31(1).
48 Nigerian Citizenship Regulations, 1974 Form E.
49 Oppenheim, International Law, 8th Edition, 1955, Vol. 1, 668–675Google Scholar; Weis, P., Nationality and Statelessness in International Law, 2nd Edition 1979, 161–162Google Scholar; Seckler-Hudson, C., Statelessness: With Special Reference to the United States, 1934, 244–253.Google Scholar
50 See s. 27 of the 1979 Constitution and s. 8(1) of the Nigerian Citizenship Act 1960;Google Scholar Contrast these with ss. 11(2), 13(2) and 14 of the 1963 Constitution. The 1989 Constitution retains this provision in its s. 29.
51 See ss. 27(1) and 29(1) of the 1979 and 1989 Constitutions. Contrast these with s. 13(3)(c) of the 1963 Constitution which required a lesser prison term for deprivation of citizenship, a prison term of not less than 12 months within 7 years of naturalisation.
52 Above n. 15, ss. 27(2)(b) and 29(2)(b).
53 See, generally, ss. 11(2), 13 and 14 of the 1963 Constitution. One such condition is where the Minister with the approval of the Federal Executive Council required a Nigerian citizen who was entitled to dual citizenship and had attained 21 years of age to renounce his other citizenship and he failed to comply.
54 Zamir, I., The Declaratory Judgment, 1962, Chapter 1, 120–123Google Scholar; Lawson, F. H., Remedies of English Law, 2nd Edition, 239–241.Google Scholar
55 See s. 16(2), 1960 Constitution and s. 17(2), 1963 Constitution.
56 Above n. 15, ss. 29(1) and 31(1).
57 [1981] N.C.L.R. 459.Google Scholar
