Barbados is at the centre of a Nigerian scheme involving not money but passports.
For the past three years, several Nigerians have been coming here to give birth so that their children can become Barbadian citizens and the holders of the coveted Barbados passport, which carries visa-free access to over 150 countries.
Reports indicate that it had become a widespread racket involving thousands of dollars being paid to a medical practitioner who was the go-to delivery doctor.
Two weeks ago, a wealthy Nigerian influencer with over four million followers posted videos on Instagram and YouTube advising her fellow Nigerians how to come to Barbados to deliver their children so that they can get a Barbados passport.
The woman, who has two toddlers, said she delivered both of them at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), with the second being born in February 2023. At that time she posted her arrival in Barbados just days before the delivery as well as the delivery process at the QEH.
A senior official at the QEH told the Weekend Nation they were aware of this situation, which he called a “racket”, but said the hospital as well as Government had taken steps to deal with the matter.
“This was a situation that came to our attention about two years ago. We had to put pressure on the Nigerians and we reached out to Immigration to deal with the issue as well. It was raised at the highest level.”
He said the situation put the hospital in a difficult position because “once the person was in distress, we would have to deal with it. The hospital held the position that we could not let the person suffer or die. We knew it was happening for a while and we had identified the doctor and put some pressure on him”.
Weekend Nation investigations revealed that the medical practitioner was being paid between US$12 000 and US$20 000 to deliver the babies.
A source explained that Nigerians would usually turn up at the airport sometimes days before their delivery date.
“These women would lie about how many months along they were so that they could get on the plane. When they get here and Immigration denies them entry, they would say they are not feeling well and they are going into labour.
“They would call the doctor and he would go and examine them and say they are not fit to fly and they stay here under the doctor’s care.”
When contacted, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams also confirmed the matter, stating: “This situation is being factored into the new immigration legislation.”
It is also understood that unsuspecting Barbadians were being drawn into the racket by being offered as much as $5 000 to house a pregnant Nigerian woman.
The Nigerian influencer who posted the video bragged about her experience here as she gleefully held up two Barbadian passports. She outlined the benefits of delivering their babies in Barbados.
“Barbados has one of the greatest medical facilities I have ever set my eyes on. When it comes to attention, care, love, you get them all in your doctor and the hospital you have your baby in.”
She told her followers: “It’s actually one of the greatest Caribbean countries you can ever visit . . . . It is safe for you, it is safe for your baby.
“Your baby has a lifetime health insurance for him or her. Do you know with a Barbados passport, you can get access to over 148 countries? Ooh, scratch that, 166 countries as I’m talking to you,” she gushed, as she also told them that they could get a United States visa for ten years.
The Nigerian celebrity then goes on to advise women on what to do in order to enter Barbados pregnant.
“There are some countries you go to, I don’t want to name them, but you know, as a pregnant woman, you will be sent back. Barbados is free to all Nigerians. When I mean free, it’s visa-free to all Nigerians, but there is a but. There is no straight flight to Barbados. That’s why you need a valid UK (United Kingdom), US visa or a Schengen (European) visa to enter into Barbados.”
Continuing, she told her followers: “In Barbados, the Immigration are very, very nice, and when I mean nice, they are amazing. The only thing they don’t like you to do is lie. Do not lie to them.
“Most of you, your agents will tell you, ‘Don’t worry, when you get there, act like you’re not pregnant’, or ‘when you get there, act like you came to see somebody,’ or ‘when you get there, tell them your due date is not now, it’s far, far back, so you just want to come for vacation and go away’. My darling, you will be sent back. This is where you need your guarantor. As a pregnant woman, you need a guarantor into Barbados.
“What does a guarantor do for you? Your guarantor helps with a lot of information to the Immigration. The guarantor is the first person the Immigration is speaking to before your doctor, before your landlord, before the hospital.”
She also revealed that she paid someone 500 000 Nigerian naira (BDS$619.43) to get a number for the guarantor.
“So everything I’m telling you is the process that I went through, and I also want you to go through it to relieve some stress. Please, don’t go and meet an agent that will eat your money.
“The only reason I’m talking about this Barbados thing is because you guys asked me a lot in the DM (Direct Messenger) and that’s why I pinned one of the videos I spoke about Barbados on my Instagram. If you go to my Instagram, that’s like a top post because I was tired of answering questions.
“Your guarantor helps you with a lot of things. The only thing you pay to your guarantor is the concierge guarantor fees and the e-pass. Every other fee you pay it when you’re inside the country. This is the best gift, the best golden opportunity you can give to your child.”
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