Many Nigerians could be impacted following a bill introduced by United States senator Bernie Moreno, which seeks to end dual citizenship for Americans. Currently, US law allows citizens to hold more than one nationality without renouncing any.
However, Moreno’s proposal, known as the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, argues that holding multiple citizenships could lead to conflicts of interest and divided loyalties.
“One of the greatest honors of my life was when I became an American citizen at 18, the first opportunity I could do so,” said the Colombian-born senator. “It was an honor to pledge an Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America and only to the United States of America. Being an American citizen is an honor and a privilege, and if you want to be an American, it’s all or nothing. It’s time to end dual citizenship for good.”
If passed, the law could affect high-profile individuals such as former US First Lady Melania Trump, who holds both American and Slovenian citizenship. It would also affect many Nigerians who currently have or plan to maintain dual citizenship between Nigeria and the US.
A July naturalization report released by the US Department of Homeland Security showed that 38,890 Nigerians became naturalized US citizens between 2021 and 2023. Nigeria ranked 13th among countries with the highest number of naturalized citizens and was the only African nation in the top 20.
Nigerian law allows dual citizenship by birth, permitting citizens to obtain or retain citizenship of another nation without losing their Nigerian status.
Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking to revoke automatic citizenship for children born in the US to undocumented immigrants. The order was immediately challenged in court by 18 states and several rights groups, who argued that it violates the 14th Amendment, which guarantees birthright citizenship. Due to ongoing legal challenges, the order has not yet taken effect.
