UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has revealed she no longer identifies as Nigerian and has not renewed her Nigerian passport in over two decades.
Speaking on the Rosebud podcast hosted by former MP and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, Badenoch said although she has Nigerian ancestry and strong family ties to the country, she now considers herself entirely British in identity.
“I’m Nigerian through ancestry,” she said, “but by identity, I’m not really. Home is where my family is now.”
Badenoch, who was born in the UK but spent part of her childhood in Nigeria and the United States, returned to Britain at the age of 16. She cited the deteriorating political and economic climate in Nigeria as the reason for her return, adding that her parents believed there was “no future” for her in the country.
The Conservative leader said she had not felt the need to renew her Nigerian passport since the early 2000s, describing her most recent visit to Nigeria for her father’s funeral as complicated because she needed a visa.
“I just don’t identify with it anymore,” she explained. “Most of my life has been in the UK.”
Reflecting on her experiences growing up in Nigeria, Badenoch said they significantly shaped her political views — including her aversion to socialism.
“I remember never quite feeling that I belonged there,” she said. “Coming back to the UK in 1996, I felt: this is home.”
Badenoch also discussed her experiences with race in Britain, saying she had not faced meaningful racial discrimination. “I knew I would look different to everyone else, but I didn’t think that was odd. What I found surprising was that people didn’t treat me differently.”
Her comments come months after she was criticised by Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, who accused her of “denigrating” the country in previous statements. Badenoch had said she grew up in fear and insecurity during her time in Nigeria, which she linked to widespread corruption. A spokesperson later defended her remarks.
Despite the backlash, Badenoch stood by her statements, saying her political outlook was informed by her lived experiences — both in Nigeria and the UK.
