By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos.
As the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) rolls out drums to mark its 60 years anniversary in August 2023, its Rivers State Command Comptroller Sunday James has averred that the agency has recorded a lot of achievement, especially with the introduction of a polycarbonate passport, which is first of its kind in Africa.
The Nigeria passport, he described as safe for international travels without the usual experience encountered by other countries, whose passport is yet to meet the ICAO standard.
This was contained in a write up titled “NIGERIA INVESTMENT POLICY AND IMMIGRATION SERVICE @60:”, issues by him made available to New Nigerian Newspaper on Wednesday.
He emphasised that the country has a 10 year 64 page passport to take care of the diasporans, reducing the frequency of visit to Consular Missions for Renewal.
According to him, this and many other strategic Immigration Services has in many ways helped Nigerians and foreign investors see the country as a most preferred destination for businesses and investments.
It reads, ” The Nigeria Immigration Service will be 60 years on the 1st August 2023, as an established agency of government saddled with the statutory duty of control of Entry and Exit into and out of the country, issuance of residence permit to expatriates, issuance of other conceivable to Non- Nigerians coming to Nigeria for business discussion, investment, tourism, visit, turnaround maintenance and other ancillary and allied Immigration related matters.
” The Nigeria Immigration Service patrol and surveillance activities is designed to keep the borders safe in the interest of the nation, and to protect the economy of Nigeria from economic saboteurs both from within and from outside, and infiltration of irregular migrants from entering the country unnoticed, the border patrol bases established to compliment the efforts of the control posts and checkpoints around the border flanks to reduce area of coverage along the borderline.
” Most Nigerians complain about porous border, but, there is nothing practically and professionally like that, since officers are deployed, who work around the clock 24/7 to ensure a water tight border. There are unmanned space due to the large expanse of land which only technology can cover, hence the building and equipping of the Technology Building situated at the NIS Headquarters, Abuja where there is a Command and Control Centre to monitor the major border crossing points as a model project, the service established about 30 border patrol bases spread around the country to bridge the gap and address the vacuum
” The service has well trained and motivated workforce that ensures proactive, effective and efficient border security and Migration management for a secured and prosperous Nigeria.
“:The service introduced the Nigeria Visa Policy 2020 with the sole aim of addressing all conceivable visa cases and need to promote a healthy business and investment environment, tourism, hospitality and enhanced industrialisation and technological development.
” The Migration Directorate has two divisions, Regular and Irregular Migration Divisions that regulates, monitor and discourage irregular migration while supporting regular migration for the security and prosperity of Nigeria.
” The Service control of migration is designed for control before entry, at the point of Entry and after entry, before entry control is by the visa control, surveillance and patrol, at the point of Entry the service control on Land, Air and Sea at the land border posts through the control posts and checkpoints ,Waterways and Airports and Helipads apart from officers on spot check, visit for Hotel monitoring and inspection, visit to company’s that have expatriates etc.
“:Every company that operates with business permit and within Nigeria must obtain an expatriate quota grant to operate.
” The Nigerian economic climate favors so many investment activities, hence the three classes of Visa and 79 categories to cater for all conceivable purposes and need.
“:At 60 years, the service has achieved so much in the introduction of a polycarbonate passport first of its kind in Africa and safe for international travels without the usual experience encounter by others, whose passport is yet to meet ICAO standard.
” The country has a 10 year 64 page passport to take care of the diasporans reducing the frequency of visit to Consular Missions for Renewal, this and many other strategic Immigration Services has in many ways helped Nigerians and foreign investors see the country as a most preferred destination for businesses and investments”.
