British Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has come under fire from Nigerians on social media after unveiling a proposed immigration policy that would extend the waiting period for British citizenship to 15 years.
On Thursday, Badenoch shared a video on her X (formerly Twitter) account, detailing plans to overhaul the UK’s immigration system. According to her proposal, the Conservative Party intends to introduce stricter immigration rules, including increasing the waiting period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from five to ten years.
Additionally, immigrants would need to wait another five years after obtaining ILR before applying for British citizenship, effectively making the process span at least 15 years.
Her plan also includes more stringent eligibility requirements. Individuals with criminal records, those dependent on social housing, or those receiving benefits would be permanently barred from settling in the UK.
Furthermore, anyone who enters the country illegally or overstays their visa would be banned from ever obtaining legal status or British citizenship.
Explaining her stance, Badenoch stated, “I want to reduce immigration and make living here actually mean something. We need to change the way our immigration system works. If you want to stay in our country permanently and apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, the time you have to live here before applying would increase from five years to 10 years.”
“You will have to be a net contributor with a high enough salary, especially if you want to bring family members with you. And if you have a criminal record, you are banned. We would increase the time you can apply for a British passport from 12 months to five years, meaning it will take a minimum of 15 years to start an application. If you enter this country illegally or overstay your visa, you will be banned from ever getting leave to remain or a passport.”
The proposal was met with swift criticism, particularly from Nigerians, who form a significant portion of the UK’s migrant community. Many accused Badenoch of being unfair to hardworking immigrants and questioned her motives, given her own immigrant background.
This is not the first time Badenoch has clashed with Nigerians. Last year, she faced criticism from Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima after describing Nigeria as corrupt and dysfunctional.