A United States senator, Bernie Moreno, has introduced a controversial bill seeking to abolish dual citizenship for American nationals—a move that could affect thousands of Nigerians who hold both Nigerian and US passports.
Gatekeepers News reports that current US law allows Americans to acquire and retain multiple nationalities without renouncing any. But Moreno’s proposed legislation, known as the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, argues that such flexibility may create “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.”
Moreno, who later renounced his Colombian citizenship, insists that full allegiance to the US should be mandatory for all citizens.
If enacted, the law could affect notable dual nationals, including US First Lady Melania Trump, who holds both American and Slovenian citizenship.
The bill would also impact many Nigerians with dual status. A July US naturalisation flow report by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shows that 38,890 Nigerians became naturalised US citizens between 2021 and 2023—making Nigeria the 13th highest source of new American citizens and the only African country in the top 20.
Nigeria’s constitution permits dual citizenship for citizens by birth, allowing them to obtain another nationality without losing their Nigerian status.
The proposed legislation comes months after US President Donald Trump issued an executive order seeking to block automatic citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants born in the US. That order has not yet taken effect, as courts in 18 states and multiple rights groups have challenged it for allegedly violating the 14th Amendment’s birthright citizenship clause.
