Abuja, Nigeria – May 17, 2025

BY AUSTIN OYIBODE

Senator Ned Nwoko, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Reparation and Repatriation, has voiced strong support for a proposed bill seeking to grant Nigerian citizenship to Afro-descendants who can trace their ancestral roots to the country.

The bill was formally presented to the senator midweek by a delegation from the African Diasporan Union during a courtesy visit to the National Assembly.

The proposed legislation aims to recognize and integrate members of the African diaspora whose lineage connects them to Nigeria, as part of broader efforts to strengthen cultural and historical ties.

“I assured them of my support while noting the importance of aligning such proposals with our constitutional and legal processes,” Senator Nwoko said in a statement following the meeting.

As head of the Senate committee tasked with addressing matters of reparation and repatriation, Senator Nwoko emphasized the need for his office to “serve the people meaningfully.”

According to him, the initiative could become a significant step toward reconnecting the African diaspora with their roots.

In a related legislative push, the senator also revealed that he has introduced a separate bill aimed at granting voting rights to Nigerians living abroad. The bill is currently under deliberation in the Senate.

If passed, both proposals could mark landmark progress in Nigeria’s engagement with its diaspora community and descendants of the transatlantic slave trade.