The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has pledged to adopt a technology-driven approach to secure Nigeria’s 4,047 km borders, aiming to curb irregular migration and cross-border crime. This resolution follows discussions at the annual Comptroller-General Conference held in Jos, Plateau State, where NIS leadership, stakeholders, and security agencies gathered over the weekend.
In a communique signed by Comptroller-General Kemi Nanna Nandap, the NIS committed to increasing surveillance along Nigeria’s borders with Benin (773 km), Cameroon (1,690 km), Chad (87 km), Niger (1,497 km), and the Gulf of Guinea (853 km). Nandap highlighted that the Service’s primary focus is to secure these boundaries as a critical component of national security.
The NIS also announced plans to strengthen intelligence gathering across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, promoting tighter collaboration with other security agencies to streamline border control and migration management. The conference, themed “Enhancing Border Security and Migration Management in a Globalized World: Challenges and Opportunities for Nigeria,” reviewed the NIS’s capacity to meet its mandate, evaluated ongoing challenges, and explored methods to improve migration management.
Nandap emphasized the continued use of advanced technology to enhance border and migration processes, including automated systems for visa and passport applications. Additionally, the NIS aims to align its efforts with the Federal Government’s goals on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and tourism, to secure greater funding and support Nigeria’s economic interests.
