Home Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announced that the federal government plans to cancel visa policy.
He disclosed this in Abuja on Friday, February 21, at the closing ceremony of the week-long capacity-building training for the Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS). This training is about the national security and law enforcement medium and senior passenger information/passenger name record (API/PNR) data.
The arrival visa policy was unveiled in 2020 as a short-term visa issued as an entry point. Tunji-Ojo said that instead of policy, the federal government will introduce landing cards and export cards, and potential visitors will fill them before entering the country.
He said there was a need to coordinate immigration data centers and integrate solutions for decisions to move to Nigeria. He said such coordination would make it impossible to obtain approval without the approval of the interrogator, criminal record system and all background check agencies.
“Security is not the right department you can afford to afford 99.9% of the right one. You only need 100%. We think it’s better for us to make decisions based on objectivity rather than subjectivity.”
“Of course, this will lead to the cancellation of the arrival visa process because the visa we understand is not a valid system because I don’t want you to enter my country without me knowing you are about to enter my country.
“No, it will never do it anywhere, of course, we’re also introducing what’s called landing cards and exit cards. We do it now, but it’s manual. We won’t do it anymore. This is 2025 . This is not 1825. So technology must replace it.”
Tunji-ojo said travelers must fill out a login card that will be integrated with visa solutions, passport solutions and all background check systems around the world before visitors enter the country.
He said the ministry will be able to share data with other agencies and around the world to disinfect the process.
“On the tip of the finger, it’s hard for NIS to tell me that the number of foreigners entering Nigeria is unacceptable,” he said. “The situation where someone enters Nigeria, disappears and becomes unacceptable is unacceptable. Abuse of immigration policies and The situation of the process is unacceptable.
“In this case, it is unacceptable that someone needs to come to Nigeria and stay for six months and wait to live in Nigeria. It is not done anywhere in the world.
“So we will bring these massive reforms that began from March 1 to April 1. Why we are doing this is to protect our people. It is our responsibility for the revelation of the nation and to make We are able to contribute our fair quota to international peace.”
