European Union
Migration consultants have cautioned against claims that European Union citizenship could be purchased, stressing that citizenship is generally obtained through legal processes, including naturalisation.
Head of Migration Department at Mirsatori, Maksin Nikitin, said yesterday that the desire to access better opportunities remained one of the major reasons Nigerians seek to migrate, particularly through business and entrepreneurship programmes.
Nikitin explained that business migration route requires applicants to have innovative business ideas and more than one co-founder.
He said they could assist applicants in finding partners with similar interests to establish businesses together, listing agriculture, construction, logistics, pharmaceuticals, information technology and green energy among the sectors in which prospective migrants could develop start-ups.
According to him, the company hasassisted not less than 100 Nigerians achieve results through its migration services, with another 100 currently undergoing the process.
According to Nikitin, the cost of the process varies by destination and family size, explaining that the Spain route costs €11,000 for the principal applicant, with an additional €1,000 for each family member while the France option costs €25,000 for the entire family application.
He added that France’s visa process could be more cumbersome because each applicant is expected to submit an individual application.
He identified trust and the availability of funds as recurring challenges among Nigerian clients, noting that some prospective applicants delay proceeding until full amount is raised.
The Chief Executive Officer, O&J Capital, Johnson Anorh, also identified trust as amajor challenge confronting Nigerian migration seeker, prompting the company to establish a physical presence in the country.
Anorh explained that many Nigerians, who had fallen victim to migration scams are often reluctant to commit to the process, even when presented with evidence of a company’s legitimacy.
He added that the Nigerian office, operated under O&J Capital, was established to enable prospective migrants meet representatives physically, verify businesses and obtain information about available opportunities.
According to him, the initiative also helps aspiring entrepreneurs connect with those who share similar
start-up ideas, creating a stronger platform for collaboration and business development.
On the language barriers, Anorh said technological advancement has made communication easier while the family-oriented nature European societies can help African migrants adjust to their new environments.
Also speaking, the General Manager, iWorld, Arturs Plepsis, described residency through start-up creation as a potential entry route into the European Union, offering applicants opportunities to establish businesses and pursue long-term residence.
Plepsis said the route was designed for people whose professional experience and backgrounds could support viable business projects, adding that the company assist in developing proposals tailored to applicants’ profiles and secure necessary approvals from the relevant authorities.
He explained that projects for Spain required approval from the government authority known as Enisa.
While those for France were subject to approval by the Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty.
According to him, once the necessary project approval had been secured, applicants could proceed with their residency applications in line with the requirements of the destination country.
He stressed that prospective migrants need to understand the differences between Spain and France and identify a better route for their professional backgrounds and business objectives, adding that residency through start-up creation could provide an entry point into the wider European Union.
