UK Conservative Party leader and Business Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, has declared that she has abandoned her Nigeria identity.
Speaking on the Rosebud podcast on Friday, Badenoch revealed that she hasn’t renewed her Nigerian passport since the early 2000s, saying she never truly felt a sense of belonging there.
“I have not renewed my Nigerian passport, I think, not since the early 2000s,” she said. “I’ve never quite felt that I belonged there. I don’t identify with it anymore. Most of my life has been in the UK and I’ve just never felt the need to.”
Though she maintains an interest in Nigerian affairs, Badenoch said the UK feels more like home — where she lives with her family and serves alongside her Conservative Party colleagues.
Born in Wimbledon, South West London, the 45-year-old spent part of her early life in Nigeria before moving back to the UK. According to her, the decision to return was driven by her parents’ concern about the country’s future.
“I think the reason that I came back here was actually a very sad one, and it was that my parents thought, ‘there is no future for you in this country,’” she explained.
Badenoch’s remarks have sparked debate, especially among Nigerians and members of the diaspora, about identity, belonging, and how personal experiences shape one’s national connection.
