Nigerians residing in the Philippines and Cambodia have threatened legal action against the Federal Government over a directive allegedly making registration with the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Philippines a condition for accessing consular services.
The aggrieved Nigerians, through a consortium of lawyers led by Chief Chukwuma Nwachukwu, petitioned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the policy.
In the petition, the group alleged that the Nigerian Embassy in Manila issued a public notice on May 20, 2026, directing Nigerians in the Philippines and Cambodia to register with NIDOPHIL and pay stipulated monthly and annual dues before they could access consular services.
According to the petitioners, the notice stated that Nigerians seeking embassy services would be required to present evidence of registration with the diaspora body, while those without proof of registration would be denied entry into the embassy premises for consular matters.
The lawyers argued that the directive violated the constitutional rights of Nigerians to freely associate and could not be used as a basis for denying citizens access to services provided by their country’s diplomatic mission.
They stated, “NIDOPHIL is an association which every Nigerian living in the Philippines and Cambodia has the constitutional right to belong to freely and not by being compelled to join.”
The petitioners further expressed concern that the policy also affected students, describing it as a development capable of disrupting their academic activities.
“It is frightening to note that this purported policy extends to students who may be seeking embassy services in relation to their studies,” the petition read.
The lawyers maintained that matters relating to Nigerians in Diaspora organisations fall within the mandate of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and not the Nigerian Embassy in Manila.
“A careful examination of the NIDCOM Act will reveal that the Nigerian Embassy has no role to play in the execution of the provisions of the Act, neither does NIDCOM possess statutory powers to compel Nigerians in the diaspora to join NIDO in any part of the world,” they said.
They also argued that every Nigerian citizen has the right to obtain consular services from Nigerian embassies and high commissions abroad without discrimination or additional conditions.
“We firmly posit that it is the constitutional right of every Nigerian citizen with a green passport anywhere in the world to access consular services in all Nigerian embassies and high commissions without let or hindrance,” the petition added.
The group warned that the policy could create tension within the Nigerian community in both countries and expose affected citizens to unnecessary hardship.
According to them, “Denying Nigerians without evidence of registration access to the embassy amounts to a punishment not known to law and should not be allowed to stand.”
The petitioners gave the Federal Government seven days to withdraw the directive, warning that failure to do so would leave them with no option but to seek legal redress.
“Our clients are entitled to claim damages against the Federal Government of Nigeria but are willing to forgo such claims if the policy is withdrawn within seven days of receiving this letter,” the lawyers stated.
They added that court action would be initiated if the authorities failed to reverse the directive within the stipulated period.
