Nigerian Migrant Finally Wins Legal Status, Clearing Path to Half-Million-Euro Prize

Imgabe Ahizomwongia, a 36-year-old Nigerian migrant living in Italy, won half a million euros from a scratch card he bought for just 5 euros, but for nearly a decade he could not collect the money. The obstacle was bureaucratic, because claiming the prize required a bank account, while opening one in Italy required legal status, which he did not yet have.

His story began in 2016, after he left Nigeria when he refused to join a secret sect led by his father. He traveled through Libya, where he was held captive for about two years, and then crossed the Mediterranean to Italy. After settling there, he bought the scratch card and won the top prize, but the money remained out of reach. At the time, he was surviving by selling scarves and begging, and his attempt to obtain a residence permit failed.

Ahizomwongia kept studying Italian, working, and integrating into the country. He later bought a small shop called Mama Africa in Falconara, where African food products are sold. His lawyer, Andrea Palazzeschi, asked the court in Ancona to recognize that Ahizomwongia’s Italian language skills, work, and financial independence justified residency.

The court accepted the argument and granted him a residence permit. Now that he has legal status, he can open a bank account and claim the winnings. Ahizomwongia said the permit matters to him even more than the money because it allows him to work, support himself, and contribute to the society where he lives.