The Federal Government has revealed plans to discontinue its visa-on-arrival policy, describing it as “unsustainable” and a potential security risk.

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Friday at the graduation ceremony of 100 officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service who underwent a five-day specialised training on the application of Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record data in national security and law enforcement at the service headquarters, Abuja.

Explaining the benefits of a data-driven visa system, Tunji-Ojo said, “We believe that it is better for us to make decisions based on objectivity rather than subjectivity.

“Of course, that will lead to the cancellation of the visa-on-arrival process because visa-on-arrival, we understand, is not a system that works.

“I don’t expect you to just come to my country without me knowing you’re coming in. No, it’s never done anywhere.”

According to the minister, Advance Passenger Information systems will be deployed at the land borders.

Also, new regulations would require pre-arrival clearance from Interpol, criminal record systems and other background-check agencies in real-time.

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He stated, “We’ve sorted API in five international airports. We’ll now adapt it to land borders because we’ve seen a pattern where people fly out and re-enter through the land borders.

“What we are looking at is that for any decision that borders on immigration into Nigeria, it will be impossible for approvals to be given without the clearance of Interpol, criminal record system and all background checking agencies in real-time. We have to ensure this.”

“When it comes to security,” he explained further, “life will never remember us for the 99 per cent we get right. History will remember us for the 1 per cent we do wrong. And security is not a sector where you can afford to be 99.9 per cent accurate. It just has to be 100 per cent.”

Set to commence between March 1 and April 1, 2025, he said the reforms aim to protect Nigerians and meet international security obligations.

“We must be responsible in the comity of nations,” the minister concluded, vowing to defend “even the weakest Nigerian with our last drop of blood.”

Nigeria’s visa-on-arrival policy was introduced to simplify entry procedures for eligible foreign nationals visiting for business or tourism.

Instead of obtaining visas at Nigerian embassies or consulates before travel, qualified travellers could receive entry approval upon landing, provided they met all documentation and fee requirements.

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This approach was designed to encourage investment and boost tourism by reducing bureaucratic hurdles.

However, security experts have warned against potential security lapses, including the difficulty of thoroughly vetting entrants who only submit their documents at the port of entry.

Tunji-Ojo said the aim is to replace the current system by April 1, 2025, with stricter processes that include pre-arrival clearance and more rigorous screening, ensuring better tracking of travellers and safeguarding Nigeria’s borders.

“So we are going to bring these massive reforms, and these reforms start between March 1 and April. What we’re trying to do is to be able to safeguard our people.

“It is for us to be responsible in the comity of nations and to be able to contribute our fair quota to all our foreign international partners,” he stated.

He urged the 100 officers to apply their learning to the best of their ability.

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“We have over 10,000 immigration officers. You are part of the privileged 100. It’s an opportunity for you to write your name in gold.

“You are my biggest assets. The Minister of Interior and the Comptroller-General are useless without efficient, capable and competent offices.

“If you sleep and a person of interest enters this country, the target might be your wife, husband, children or even you. Implement it with all patriotism,” Tunji-Ojo added.

For her part, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, said the programme originated from discussions held with a delegation of the United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism during the seventh border Management and Identity Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, from December 11 – 13, 2024.

“Over the past five days, we have successfully trained 100 immigration officers, drawn from the command and control centre and other key units,” she stated, urging them to apply their skills diligently.

Meanwhile, the International Organisation for Migration, Paola Pace, said the end of the five-day training marks the start of a new call for improved service delivery.

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She opined, “While this training marks the completion of one phase, it is by no means the end of our work as it lays the foundation for the next and must now be transmitted into sustained action.

“As you return to your respective duties, I encourage you to apply the knowledge gained to enhance Nigeria’s border management, foster intelligence collaboration with effective intelligence sharing, and ensure API aligns with national security priorities while supporting broader migration governance and patents.”

The Programme Management Specialists, Robert Musgrave, a PIU expert, and Dennis Hands, a law enforcement expert, expressed satisfaction with working with the participants.

They emphasised the positive impact of the training on participants regardless of rank or position.

The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of certificates to the participants by the Minister of Interior.