The Nation discovered over the weekend that the Federal Government is modernizing its visa-on-arrival policy to accommodate particular requirements and in accordance with the current administration’s strategy to diversify the economy by promoting significant foreign direct investment (FDI).
The government is reportedly concentrating on enhancing corporate convenience and decreasing human-to-human interactions with the upgrade, all while maintaining national security.
It is reported that the government uses e-solutions extensively for the country’s migration policy and management.
According to top sources in the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), there has been a pressing need to update the visa-on-arrival policy in tandem with the reality of the technology infrastructure and other components since the opening of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Technology Innovation Complex at the NIS headquarters in Abuja last year. This is to ensure full monitoring of foreigners entering and leaving the country.
“We must examine the shortcomings or gaps in the visa-on-arrival policy in order to run the technology complex.” Some trends in the flow of people into the nation have caught our attention.
“As it stands, the current approach and deployment of the infrastructure could be described as watertight in terms of security… and we have made our infrastructure all-encompassing,” the insider stated.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, recently talked about the new administration’s visa applications and approval process, stating that the government aimed to process visas for foreigners entering Nigeria in no more than 48 hours.
According to the minister, foreigners who apply for visas to enter the nation will receive their documents 24 to 48 hours after submitting their applications, thanks to the Tinubu government.
While announcing the opening of an e-visa training session for 162 NIS officers chosen from various formations throughout the nation, he evaluated the visa policy.
“We would like to see a situation where it is easier for people to enter Nigeria,” stated Tunji-Ojo. We hope to be able to open our borders to individuals seeking short-term visas, tourism, and economic activity.
“Let’s not jeopardize national security in order to entertain visitors. Our earnest belief is that a balanced combination of ease and national security may be achieved.
The e-visa solution’s main concept is that individuals will be able to apply for and get their visas online, from the point of application to the point of approval. It should, in my opinion, usually be done within 24 hours or no more than 48 hours.
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At the training event, the minister informed the participants that they would be in charge of improving the e-visa policy’s user experience.
“We don’t want people to have to wait forever to obtain visas to Nigeria,” he continued.
Speaking with our correspondent, NIS officials commended the current administration for its dedication and enthusiasm on the deployment of e-gates at the country’s airports, the application and approval of visas, and the completion of passport applications.
In addition, they praised the harmony between the minister and Mrs. Kemi Nanna Nandap, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service.
