The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to ensure foreigners pursuing visas into Nigeria get them within 24 to 48 hours.
The minister stated this on Friday, March 8, while flagging off an intensive training for 162 officers of the NIS on electronic visa applications for foreigners coming to Nigeria.
Tunji-Ojo described the difficulties people face when trying to obtain a Nigerian visa as unacceptable, adding that it negated the federal government’s vision of ease of doing business.
The minister emphasised the importance of opening Nigeria’s borders to legitimate travellers, entrepreneurs, and tourists, focused on promoting a more inclusive and business-friendly environment.
He explained to the officers that the ultimate goal is to implement a seamless and efficient electronic visa application process, where applicants should be able to submit their applications online and receive approval within a maximum timeframe of 24 to 48 hours.
He further reiterated his commitment to innovative leadership and driving meaningful change within the ministry, with continuous capacity development of officials.
“An efficient and vibrant NIS is possible. I know the time for the actualisation is now. It is either we get it now or we forget about it.
“For the e-visa, I want you to do a good job because, honestly speaking, a population of 230 million people is the biggest economy in Africa. The frustration people go through to get a visa into Nigeria is unacceptable. Let us call a spade a spade. It is unacceptable,” he stated.
He charged the officers of the NIS to be dedicated, honest, and represent the country well and emphasised that visiting Nigeria should be a straightforward process, as long as visitors meet the necessary requirements.
Noting that the country’s hospitality potential is huge, the minister expressed the commitment of NIS to welcome people to Nigeria, with the focus of building an economy that encourages tourism and investment drive.
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He, however, warned the officers not to compromise the nation’s national security and not approve terrorists and other criminals into Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, the NIS Comptroller General, Kemi Nana-Nandap, highlighted the importance of the training, noting that the selected officers underwent rigorous vetting before commencing the intensive program.
She explained that the new system marks a significant improvement, featuring thorough vetting and secure documentation storage within the NIS.
This is not the first time Nigeria will be emphasising 48-hour e-visas for foreigners.
ICIR reported on Tuesday, February 4, 2020, that the Federal Government unveiled a new visa policy as part of its Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) to mainly give the economy an uplift and boost foreign direct investment in Nigeria.
It was expected that the visa policy would also boost tourism, promote foreign relations with other nations and make visas into the country easier through the 48-hour visa issuance policy.
Bankole Abe @ICIR
