Italian Court Grants Migrant Permit After €500,000 Scratchcard Win

On June 4, a court in Ancona, Italy, granted a residence permit to 36-year-old Nigerian migrant Imaghbega Ahizomuonghia, who had won €500,000 on a scratchcard but could not claim the prize because he lacked legal status in Italy. The ruling ended a years-long legal and personal deadlock in which the windfall was effectively inaccessible to him.

Ahizomuonghia said he left Nigeria in 2016 after refusing to join a secret cult led by his father. His journey to Europe took more than a decade and included two years held captive in Libya, where his family paid ransom for his release, before he crossed the Mediterranean to Italy.

After settling in Italy, he bought a scratchcard for €5 and won half a million euros, but soon learned he needed a bank account to collect the money, and a residence permit to open one. Without proof of financial independence, he could not establish residency, even though the prize itself would have shown that independence. At the time, he supported himself by selling scarves and begging. His first attempt to obtain a permit under Italy’s special protection regime failed, and that route became even narrower after the government restricted the permit category in 2023.

Ahizomuonghia persisted, studying Italian, working, and eventually buying a small shop called Mama Africa in the town of Falconara, which sells African food products. His lawyer, Andrea Palascelli, argued in Ancona court that his Italian-language skills, work, and financial self-sufficiency made him eligible for residency. The court agreed. Palascelli said, “He proved he was a good candidate, not only because of the lottery win, but because of his conduct and work history.” Ahizomuonghia told The Guardian he had prayed for this moment since arriving in Italy, and said the permit meant more to him than the money. Now, with the permit, he can finally open a bank account and formally claim the €500,000.