The Federal Government has announced the conferment of citizenship to 286 foreign nationals from forty-nine countries.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore, disclosed this in a statement signed and made available to the public on Saturday.

The document indicated that the conferment of Nigerian citizenship was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari in February this year.

According to the document, the exercise will be carried out in a ceremony to be presided over by President Buhari, at the Presidential Villa on Thursday.

Foreign nationals who benefited from the conferment of Nigerian citizenship include 108 Lebanese, 16 Italians, 14 Britons, five Nigeriens, and two Chadians.

Also included are nationals from Egypt, the United States, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Syria, Greece, India, Dominican Republic, France, Palestine, Australia, Jordan, Cyprus, and Ireland.

Foreign nationals from Serbia, Kenya, Belarus, Somalia, Ukraine and Ethiopia were also listed as beneficiaries, among others.