Nigeria Boosts Border Security with High-Tech E-Border Solution

The Federal Government has taken a bold step in fortifying Nigeria’s borders, deploying an advanced e-border solution at 40% of the nation’s entry points.

This revelation came from the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during a media parley and interactive session on the 28th of January, 2025, in Abuja.

He emphasized that the initiative is part of the government’s unwavering commitment to enhancing national security and safeguarding lives and property.

According to Tunji-Ojo, technological innovation is a game-changer in border surveillance, ensuring the country stays ahead in monitoring movements across its frontiers. To complement this effort, newly acquired vehicles have also been dispatched to bolster border management operations.

“Immigration (Nigeria Immigration Service) is beyond a travel document-issuing agency…we sat down and took a decision that the issue of migration management and border control must be at the core of what NIS should be doing.

“I’m happy to tell you that the first phase of our e-border solution has been completed as we speak. I wouldn’t want to go too deeply into that, but I want to tell you that the first phase is 100% completed and covers 40% of the design of the e-border solution across the country. We hope that the second phase will start this year,” he disclosed.

Beyond land borders, Nigeria is also advancing its border control measures at airports with the introduction of the e-gate solution.

The country has further embraced sophisticated traveler identification systems, including Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Records (PNR), to streamline entry processes and enhance security.

With the commissioning of the command and control technology and innovation center at the Nigeria Immigration Service headquarters, real-time monitoring of land borders and all entry points at airports is now a reality.

However, the minister expressed dissatisfaction with Nigeria’s current visa issuance process, noting that unlike developed nations where approvals happen in the home country’s office, Nigeria grants visas abroad.

In response, the federal government is set to revolutionize the system by centralizing visa approvals at a newly established Visa Approval Center in Abuja, ensuring a more streamlined and efficient process.

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