Why investment by citizenship is gaining traction in Nigeria, by Optiva CEO

Optiva Capital Partners has restated its commitment to facilitate access to global investment opportunities for discerning nigh-net-worth individuals (HNIs), saying investment immigration is critical for those who desire access to diverse business opportunities across the globe.

At an interactive session with the media, the Managing Director/CEO of Optiva Capital Partners, Jane Kimemia, said there is currently an increased incentive for investment immigration otherwise known as a second passport or second citizenship for investment-savvy Nigerians who recognise that this provides access to boundless opportunities.

She said the investment immigration service is anchored on its wealth optimisation strategy as a company, adding that those who desire to build generational wealth would necessarily be concerned about the diversification of investment across different jurisdictions.

“Our clients are established Nigerians, they are in business, they are executives, so they are very comfortable. But they are looking for global access and acceptance,” she noted.

Kimemia further stated that Nigerians being the most global of Africans seek global opportunities to meet the need for their children’s education, and healthcare access to more economies and markets to expand their trade and business.

“At Optiva Capital Partners, we are helping our clients to save on what they would have been spending anyway,” Kimemia said, explaining that through second citizenship, Optiva Capital assists discerning Nigerians to save scarce foreign exchange because they pay a fraction of what non-citizens pay for education, healthcare, property amongst other social benefits.

With a second citizenship through citizenship by immigration (CBI) or other investments in government-designated programme in exchange for permanent residency, Kimemia stressed, individuals can leverage rare opportunities that are not available to non-citizens.

Kimemia also explained why Optiva Capital investment immigration services are targeted at HNIs. According to her, when it comes to the cost of CBI or permanent residency, the value being sought by clients includes their wards’ education, thereby making investment immigration a vehicle for clients to protect, grow, enhance and diversify their wealth.

“We are helping our clients to save on what they would have been spending anyway, so we are saving them the scarce foreign exchange that comes back to developing Nigeria. So we are looking at value, costs and value across generations as well,” she said.

She told the media that the company has made conscious decisions to be “where our clients are, and to meet our clients at homes and where they do business, and their offices”, disclosing that it would open additional four offices in the country in the coming months to cater to more Nigerians that crave for global investment access.

Already, the company has 17 branches across the countries such as Lagos, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Warri, Kano, Abuja and Onitsha.

“Wherever you go across key markets, you find Optiva Capital Partners. We have a strong extensive distribution and we have invested in our branches and lounges because we do recognise that our clients are high-networth individuals and we take into consideration how we take care of our clients in all our branches,” she stated.

She differentiated between CBI and ‘japa’, saying those who embrace the former are those who are comfortable and key about optimising their wealth through global access as opposed to relocating.

“Some of Optiva Capital’s investment immigration opportunities it assists Nigerians to be part of include the USA EB, Residency by Investment, which not only accelerates wealth creation but also opens doors to a promising future, offering the opportunity to become a green card holder; citizenship by investment programmes for which acquiring a passport from any of the countries on their menu provides visa-free access to more than 143 countries, all without the need to meet any residency criteria before obtaining them. For Greece, for instance, obtaining a luxury apartment is a gateway to obtaining the Greece golden visa, which is not just an investment immigration scheme, it is also a way to diversify wealth.

For Canada, a Nigerian can become a global business person by investing in Canada Federal Start-up programme and migrate to Canada with a three-year open work permit, while the person’s permanent residency is prioritised as an investor.”