In a bid to tighten border security and make travelling into Nigeria easier, the Federal Government has announced the introduction of an electronic visa system and digital landing and exit cards.
The announcement came on Wednesday in Abuja during a joint meeting between the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and his Interior counterpart, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
Keyam explained that with the new system, visitors can now apply for Nigerian visas online and upload their documents without stepping into any immigration office. He also said that paper-based landing and exit forms would be replaced by online versions filled before travellers arrive in the country.
“What we are doing here today reflects this government’s commitment to cooperation between ministries with overlapping mandates. Today is another example of inter-ministerial collaboration. This specifically concerns the introduction of the e-visa system,” Keyamo stated.
He stressed that the programme is largely under the Interior Ministry’s purview, and relevant agencies like Immigration, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Federal Airports Authority will provide support.
Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo added that the system will officially launch on 1 May, and the e-visa will be free of charge.
He explained that the NCAA will oversee the management of the digital landing and exit cards and ensure airlines comply with the new requirements.
“Coordinating and issuing regulations to airlines is naturally the NCAA’s responsibility,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo also disclosed that the Immigration Service now has a central visa approval centre with officers trained to conduct global criminal background checks using advanced technology.
“Better background checks will be conducted for travellers entering Nigeria. We aim to eliminate bottlenecks and ensure a transparent visa process,” he added.
“Our goal is to open Nigeria’s borders without compromising security. Both the Interior and Aviation ministries have critical roles in this.”
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