Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced the suspension of the visa-on-arrival policy for foreigners, signaling a significant shift in the country’s migration control measures.
Tunji-Ojo made the declaration on Friday during the closing ceremony of the five-day training and capacity-building program on the Advanced Passenger Information-Passenger Name Record (API/PNR) system for Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) officers.
He emphasized that Nigeria is not a haven for criminals, stressing that the visa-on-arrival policy has been ineffective in tracking migration, particularly through the nation’s porous land borders.
The minister revealed that many foreigners deliberately avoid entering Nigeria by air, opting instead to land in neighboring countries and continue their journey through land routes, making migration monitoring more challenging.
As part of enhanced border security measures, Tunji-Ojo disclosed that the Federal Government will introduce landing and exit cards, which visitors will be required to complete before arriving in Nigeria. This initiative is expected to take effect by March or April.
Furthermore, he announced plans to launch an e-visa system within the same timeframe. This system will enable applicants to process visas online and will be integrated with the Interpol database and Nigeria’s criminal records system to strengthen security checks and decision-making.
The Federal Government remains committed to enforcing stricter migration policies to enhance national security and streamline entry procedures.
Stay with Lagos Reporters for further updates on this developing story.
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