KEMI Badenoch, leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party and a rising political force, has sparked intense debate following her recent comments targeting Nigerian immigration and citizenship policies in the UK.
In a wide-ranging interview with CNN on Sunday, Badenoch pledged that under her leadership, acquiring British citizenship particularly by Nigerians would no longer be as easy as it has been in the past.
“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,”
Badenoch told CNN’s anchor during the exclusive interview. “That is why, under my leadership, we now have policies to make it harder to just get British citizenship. It has been too easy.”
The statement is being interpreted by many observers as a signal that the UK may soon adopt stricter visa and residency pathways for Nigerians and other foreign nationals.
Badenoch accused immigrants of exploiting the UK’s open and democratic systems, in a manner she claimed would not be tolerated in their home countries, particularly Nigeria.
“There are many people who come to our country, to the UK, who do things that would not be acceptable in their countries,” she said, suggesting that Britain had become too lenient and vulnerable due to its liberal immigration framework.
When asked whether she would support the idea of Nigerian immigrants creating “mini-Nigerias” across cities in the UK as part of cultural preservation or community integration, Badenoch strongly opposed the idea.
“That is not right. Nigerians would not tolerate that. That’s not something that many countries would accept,” she asserted, further underlining her commitment to assimilation over multicultural segmentation.
The comments, particularly from someone of Nigerian heritage, have drawn swift reactions both in the UK and abroad. Badenoch, born in Wimbledon, London, in 1980 to Nigerian parents, spent part of her formative years in Lagos before returning to the UK as a teenager.
She has often spoken proudly about her Nigerian background, but her recent political stance has alienated many within immigrant communities, including those of African descent.
Critics accuse her of weaponizing her heritage to validate increasingly restrictive policies that disproportionately affect people from developing countries. Others argue that her hardline rhetoric mirrors a broader shift within the Conservative Party, which is seeking to outflank right-wing populists on immigration issues.
Supporters, however, hail her as a realist unafraid to challenge what she calls “double standards” in global immigration expectations, particularly in the wake of Brexit and heightened national security concerns.
Badenoch has previously made headlines for controversial remarks relating to diversity, race relations, and political correctness. But this latest interview is perhaps the clearest indication yet of her intent to overhaul the UK’s immigration and citizenship framework starting with communities she believes are taking the most advantage of the current system.
As her comments continue to dominate headlines in both the UK and Nigeria, analysts say Badenoch’s statements may have a significant impact on the UK-Nigeria diplomatic relationship, as well as her own political fortunes.
Whether her tough stance will rally support or spark backlash remains to be seen.