At least 66 Nigerians acquired citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda between January and June 2024, according to newly released figures from the country’s Citizenship-by-Investment Unit (CIU).
The influx of Nigerian applicants, alongside their families, contributed over US$6.6 million to the Caribbean nation’s treasury through the popular National Development Fund (NDF) route.
Antigua approved 739 CBI applications across all nationalities during the period, marking a dramatic 200% surge compared to the same period in 2023, with Nigeria ranking as the third-largest source country, following China and the United States.
Nigeria topped the list of African countries using Antigua’s CBI programme, outpacing South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, and Ghana, which recorded single-digit applications.
China, the US, Nigeria, Turkey, Russia, India, Bangladesh, Iran, South Africa, and Lebanon formed the top ten nationalities for CBI applications globally. The CIU attributed the spike in demand to growing geopolitical uncertainty and anticipation of an upcoming fee hike.
In August 2024, Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s government increased the minimum NDF donation to $150,000 for a family of four. This spurred a wave of early applications from investors keen to “lock in” the old rate before the policy kicked in.
The National Development Fund route remained the top choice, with 614 applicants bringing in $62.98 million in new revenue. Real-estate investments accounted for another 15% of applications, with fewer opting for business ventures or contributions to the University of the West Indies Fund.
Tourism and Investment Minister Charles Fernandez confirmed the funds were channelled into critical infrastructure projects, including hurricane-resilient housing, a national dialysis unit, and debt repayment.
Documents reviewed by Chronicle NG show nearly 90% of Nigerian applicants favoured the NDF, which provides direct support for government-backed projects rather than tying up funds in private real estate.
Most Nigerian applicants were described as seasoned entrepreneurs and high-level professionals seeking global mobility. An Antigua passport grants visa-free travel to over 150 countries, including the Schengen Zone and the UK.
Antigua & Barbuda launched its CBI programme in 2013 under the Citizenship by Investment Act No. 2. Applicants must pass stringent due diligence checks, have no criminal record, and select one of four qualifying investments: NDF ($150,000), real estate (from $200,000), business investment (solo $1.5m or $400,000 in a joint $5m project), or the UWI Fund ($150,000, with one year of tuition for a dependent included).
Successful candidates are required to spend at least five days in Antigua within the first five years. Since 2017, all CBI passports have included biometric chips and fall under annual audits to comply with EU and OECD standards on transparency.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
