The Federal Government of Nigeria has said it is planning to cancel its visa-on-arrival policy.
This was announced by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during the closing ceremony of a weeklong capacity-building training for personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS.
Tunji-Ojo said the Federal Government would introduce landing and exit cards, which prospective visitors will pre-fill before coming into the country in place of the visa-on-arrival policy
The minister stressed the need to harmonize the immigration data center and have integrated solutions for decisions that has to do with migration into Nigeria.
According to him, such harmonization would make it impossible for approvals to be given without the clearance of Interpol, the criminal records system, and all background-checking agencies in real-time.
He said:
“Security is not a sector where you can afford to be 99.9 percent correct.
You just have to be 100 percent.
We believe that it is better for us to take decisions based on objectivity rather than subjectivity.
And of course, that will lead to the cancellation of the visa-on-arrival process because the visa-on-arrival we understand is not a system that works, because I don’t expect you to just come into my country without me knowing that you are coming into my country.”
