The Federal Government ended Nigeria’s Visa-on-Arrival policy, emphasizing that the country is not a destination for criminals.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, stated that the Visa-on-Arrival policy was ineffective and lacked global best practices.
He revealed a concerning pattern where travelers avoided direct air entry, opting for neighboring countries’ land borders.
Describing this trend as unacceptable, Tunji-Ojo announced a multi-faceted entry solution would be introduced by March or April.
The new solution will replace Visa-on-Arrival with integrated landing and exit cards, streamlining pre-arrival procedures for travelers.
Introduced in 2020, the Visa-on-Arrival policy failed to meet international standards, leading to its cancellation.
Tunji-Ojo made these remarks at the Nigeria Immigration Service’s (NIS) headquarters
The five-day capacity-building program on Advanced Passenger Information-Passenger Name Record system trained 100 NIS officers.
Tunji-Ojo emphasized that visas serve as migration management and security tools, requiring more objective, automated processes.
The planned e-visa solution aims for a March or April rollout, integrating with Interpol and criminal record systems.
Foreign attachés will no longer issue visas, ensuring rigorous screening to prevent Nigeria from harboring global criminals.
Tunji-Ojo stressed that Nigeria would never be a haven for wanted criminals under the current administration’s security framework.
Currently, 60 border solutions are nearing completion across Nigeria’s land, maritime, and air entry points.
He highlighted the increasing pattern of travelers bypassing airport checks by using neighboring countries’ land borders.
Comptroller-General Kemi Nanna Nandap praised President Bola Tinubu and the Minister for championing transformative immigration reforms.
