The dream of every Nigerian is to relocate to another country, if not permanently, at least for a few years to “breathe fresh air“. If you ask the average Nigerian which country they want to relocate to, you’ll hear places like Canada, America, United Kingdom among other first world countries.
However, the reality is that the majority of Nigerians cannot afford to relocate to these more expensive first world countries they dream of.
According to a survey carried out by How we made it in Africa, the average Nigerian earns a monthly income of between N75,000 ($195) and N100,000 ($250) which is is barely enough to meet the everyday needs of Nigerians let alone cover relocation costs to another country.
With poverty levels at an all time high, economic growth stagnated and constant inflation, a lot of Nigerians currently live from hand to mouth and it’s no surprise that more and more Nigerians are realising that they deserve better than what they’re getting in Nigeria. It’s no wonder everyone is scrambling for a way out.
Seeing as the average Nigerian cannot afford to relocate to the places they dream of due to their current economic situation, the question is; which affordable countries in the world can Nigerians relocate to? This is where Cape Verde comes in as a viable option and i’ll tell you why.
As a Nigerian who currently resides in Cape Verde I must say that Cape Verde is one of the easiest countries for Nigerians to relocate to for the following reasons:
1. Nigerians don’t need a visa to visit Cape Verde
Cape Verde and Nigeria are both members of ECOWAS and the African Union. The agreement between countries means Nigerians do not need a visa to visit Cape Verde. Any Nigerian who has at least $3000 in savings can just wake up one morning, pack up and move to Cape Verde.
Not requiring a visa to visit Cape Verde also means that if you decide you want to relocate here, you can first visit the country to see if it’s the right fit for you. If it is, you can begin the relocation process immediately and if it’s not, you can go back home without making any commitment.
Related Post: How to Visit Cape Verde as a Nigerian in 2020
2. The relocation process is relatively easy
When you visit Cape Verde for the first time, you get a one month visa stamp and at the end of this visa, you can apply for a 3 month visa extension. At the end of this visa extension, if you feel like you want to become a resident of Cape Verde, you’ll have to apply for a 6 month visa because to become a resident, you must have lived in the country for 6 months.
After the 6 months visa expires, you then qualify to apply for residency and you never have to go back to Nigeria. The relocation process is relatively straightforward and the most tedious part of it is preparing the required documents and paying small fees.
3. You can get citizenship after 5 years of being a resident
Citizenship is a hard thing to attain in a lot of countries but not in Cape Verde. From the visa extension to the residency application, the road to citizenship is fairly simple.
To get residency, as long as you have all the required documents and you can prove that you can sustain yourself via a source of income, business or employment contract, you should be able to attain residency.
After 5 years of residency in Cape Verde, you qualify to apply for citizenship.
Bonus: If you marry a Cape Verdean citizen, you qualify to get automatic citizenship.
Related Post: How to Extend Your Stay in Cape Verde
4. Cape Verde is cheaper than countries in Europe or North America
The cost of living in Cape Verde is very affordable when compared with first world countries like Germany or America. With $500 you can live a comfortable life in Cape Verde and that includes housing, utilities, food and transportation.
To compare the cost of living in Cape Verde with that of other first world countries, click here.
5. Cape Verde is just a 4hour 20minute flight from Lagos
It’s common for people to get cold feet when making relocation plans because they worry they’ll be far away from family and friends and may not be able to visit often.
The good news is, if you relocate to Cape Verde, this worry becomes irrelevant because with Cabo Verde Airlines, Cape Verde is just 4hours 20 minute flight from Lagos. You can travel home as often as you like and your family can come visit as well without requiring a visa.
6. There is endless opportunity in Cape Verde
Cape Verde is still a developing country and this presents a lot of business/job opportunities. For example, because Nigerians are non-native English speakers and Cape verde is a tourist hotspot, Nigerians have an advantage over Cape Verdeans for jobs in the tourism sector because we speak English. Cape Verdeans speak Portuguese or Kriolu.
There’s also endless business opportunities for example, there is no online shopping in cape verde, no online deliveries, no shisha lounges, very few clubs, technological stores like phone and laptop stores are very few, there are no spice shops, or bowling alley, just to name a few.
Anyone who has enough resources to invest in a business can do so in Cape Verde. Also starting a business here is relatively easy as all you need is your international passport, NIF and funds.
Related Post: 7 things you Should Know About Cape Verde
7. The quality of life is better than in Nigeria
One of the major reasons why Nigerians have had enough of Nigeria is because of the low quality of life. In Nigeria there’s government corruption, a lack of basic infrastructure, failing healthcare system, failing education system, insecurity, lack of steady power supply, and all-round neglect.
In Cape Verde, the system works, there’s accessible roads, thriving healthcare system, good education system, steady electricity and the country generally offers a better quality of life than in Nigeria.
Related Post: 5 Things you Should Know about Cape Verde
Conclusion
Cape Verde is a country in Africa and still has its own challenges, but overall if you’re a Nigerian looking for a better quality of life in a more affordable country than in Europe or North America, Cape Verde could be a relevant option for you.
Some may argue that the language barrier is something they can’t handle or that the Cape Verdean passport is not so great; seeing as you can only visit 65 countries in the world visa free. However if you’ve experienced traveling with a Nigerian passport and you’ve had enough of being treated like a second class citizen everywhere you go, it’s definitely worth it to get rid of the Nigerian stigma.
Relocating to a country like Cape Verde which offers a better quality of life could put you on the path to attaining another citizenship in no time.
Interested in relocating to Cape Verde? Find useful information about Cape Verde here
Got questions about Cape Verde, Contact Me.
Five Foot Nomad 