The Controller-General (CG) of the Nigerian Immigration Service ( NIS), Mr Mohammad Babandede, says the service will re-examine the Nigeria Visa Policy (NVP) 2020 and the Border Management Strategy documents.
According to the Controller-General, the action is to enhance performance of their operations in the service.
The CG said this at the opening ceremony of the International Organisation for Migration ( IOM) and NIS Senior Management retreat on strengthening migration management through best practices in Lagos on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that the 3-day retreat which started on July 1 would end on July 3.
According to Babandede, the NVP 2020 and Border Management Strategy Policy will be properly scrutinised during the retreat.
“This is with a view to restructuring the policies to meet operational applications and for NIS to become a point of reference globally.
“NIS will be looking at how best to improve entry and exit experiences of visitors and strike a balance between passengers’ facilitation and national security.”
Babandede added that an effective order management system as well as a robust visa and Residency Administration Policy remained cardinal not only to Nigeria’s security architecture but in attracting the needed Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) for enduring prosperity.
“Consequently, NIS has huge opportunity in this retreat to critically interrogate the service current efforts in these areas with a view to bringing about the desired reforms.
“These reforms will not only improve service delivery but enhance NIS relevance in the nation’s security and investment ecosystems,” he said.
The IOM Chief of Mission , Mr Franz Celestin, in his welcome address commended NIS on its efficacy.
“NIS is still the best immigration service provider in the world,” the IOM chief said.
According to Celestin, excellent partnership with NIS has enabled IOM to support the Federal Government to establish and reinforce data management information system that has been facilitating and promoting effective border process since 2016.
.”The Migration Information and Data Analysis System ( MIDAS) revolutionised the country’s border management operations which has strengthened data collection and storage capacity, “ Celestin said.
The IOM Chief said that with the advent of COVID-19 pandemic , IOM also worked with Primary Health Systems (PHS) to contribute to the prevention and curtailing of the spread of the virus at the entry points.
“IOM provided 19 points of entry ( seven land borders ,seven seaports and five international airports) with required control facilities like thermal scanners , solar powered boreholes ,” he said.
Celestin said that the IOM would continue to support NIS in all its operations. ( NAN)
