March 07, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has charged the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) with expediting the approval process for foreigners seeking visas to enter Nigeria.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, gave the charge when he commissioned 162 officers of the NIS for an intensive training on electronic visa application for foreigners coming to Nigeria.
Speaking at the headquarters of the NIS in Abuja on Friday, the Minister assured that with electronic application for Visa, approval should not exceed 24 hours or a maximum of 48 hours.
Charging the selected officers to be dedicated and honest, the Minister said, “The whole idea for me is when people are able to apply and get their visas electronically. I think approval should be received within 24 hours or a maximum of 48 hours.
“For the e-visa, I want you to do a good job because, honestly speaking, a population of 230 million people, 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.
“To come to Nigeria should not be difficult. Once you meet the conditions, we are a very hospitable people. We want to see people come to Nigeria. Let them come. Let us build an economy that will encourage people to come.
“Immigration has a key role to play in the Ease of Doing Business. Key role to play in terms of tourism and in terms of investment opportunities and a lot.. The situation is beyond border security. Don’t forget you are the gate. You are the gateway to the nation. The impression you give about Nigeria is one that will always last forever.
“I know that in the next few weeks it should be ready, we should go live. If you go and approve somebody you are not supposed to approve, that’s against our national security. You should not allow a terrorist to come into the country. You need to be sure that you dot the i’s and cross the t’s.
“Nigeria is a serious country led by a serious President in the person of President Tinubu, he is here to disrupt the normal or to create what we call unusual. And 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.”
On his part, NIS Comptroller General, Kemi Nana-Nandap, described the training as a significant one, adding that the selected officers have started intensive training
She said the system is a departure from what the agency had initially, saying, “Not only are we doing thorough vetting, but we are going to ensure that we have the documentation being warehoused with the NIS.”
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