It is a key principle of international law that a person has the right to change his or her nationality. This means that it should be possible for someone to acquire citizenship as an adult, by the process known as naturalisation, based on long residence in a country and other conditions. The legal conditions and administrative procedures for naturalisation should not be so restrictive that acquisition is impossible in practice.
The laws of all African countries provide in principle for the acquisition of citizenship by naturalisation. In some countries an easier process, known as “registration”, “declaration”, or “option” is also available, for example, to those who are married to citizens. However, obtaining citizenship by naturalisation is in practice often extremely difficult and highly discretionary, or even subject to the personal control of the head of state.
While international law permits a state to require a person to renounce another nationality before naturalising, this requirement should not apply to persons who have no other nationality – that is, those who are stateless. Most African countries establish no procedures for naturalisation of stateless persons.
Author: Zekhethelo Cele LLM Candidate, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina’s nationality has sparked a significant debate on identity, belonging, and representation between South Africa and Nigeria. Allegedly born in South Africa to a Nigerian father […]
Article 1er: La présente loi a pour objet de définir les conditions et modalités spécifiques suivant lesquelles les personnes reconnues comme afrodescendants peuvent acquérir la nationalité béninoise par reconnaissance. Article 2 : Est Afro-descendant au sens de la présente loi, […]
À l’approche des élections présidentielles de 2025 en Côte d’Ivoire, le pays est secoué par une révélation alarmante. Selon l’analyste socio-politique, Ahouman Gaël Lakpa plus de 40 000 personnes auraient obtenu la nationalité ivoirienne de manière frauduleuse. Cette découverte soulève […]
By Victoria O’Regan Debates about Sowetan-born, former Miss South Africa contestant Chidimma Adetshina’s nationality have prompted questions about South African citizenship. What does it mean to be South African in terms of the law? Citizenship, in the legal sense, means […]
Ce texte, qui doit encore être promulgué par le président Patrice Talon, donnera la possibilité d’obtenir la citoyenneté béninoise à « toute personne qui, d’après sa généalogie, a un ascendant […] déporté dans le cadre de la traite des Noirs […]
By Envaalde Matheus Namibia’s home affairs minister has tabled a bill that will grant people born with South West Africa (SWA) identification documents (IDs) full Namibian citizenship. Up to now, many of these individuals have been unable to get Namibian […]
To provide for a process for application for acquisition of Namibian citizenship by naturalisation for holders of South West Africa identification documents; to provide for a process for application for acquisition of Namibian citizenship by birth or descent of the […]
Extracts relevant to Africa: Action 1: Resolve existing major situations of statelessness In February 2024, in Kenya, UNHCR is reviewed and provided technical feedback on a proposed amendment of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, aiming to establish a registration […]
By Margaret Ebeshi, Abuja The African Diaspora Union (AFRIDU), has appealed to the Nigerian government to consider the option of granting citizenship for African Descendants who were victims of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja […]
Le gouvernement ivoirien a adopté ce mercredi 14 juin 2023 un projet de loi faisant frein à l’acquisition immédiate de la nationalité ivoirienne pour le conjoint étranger, suite à la formalité administrative du mariage avec l’autre conjoint de nationalité ivoirienne, […]
On May 8, 2024, the Council of Ministers of Benin submitted to parliament a draft law recognizing Beninese nationality for “Afro-descendants”—persons with sub-Saharan African ancestry deported during the slave trade. The Beninese government expressed that many Afro-descendants wish to reconnect […]
En sa séance du Conseil des ministres du 08 mai 2024, le gouvernement béninois a décidé de la transmission à l’Assemblée nationale, pour examen et vote, du projet de loi relative à la reconnaissance de la nationalité béninoise aux Afro-descendants […]