Nigeria’s government has announced plans to discontinue its visa-on-arrival policy, citing security concerns and describing the current system as “unsustainable.”
Interior Minister Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo made the announcement during a graduation ceremony for 100 immigration officers who completed specialized training in using passenger data for national security purposes.
“Of course, that will lead to the cancellation of the visa-on-arrival process because visa-on-arrival, we understand, is not a system that works,” Tunji-Ojo said. “I don’t expect you to just come to my country without me knowing you’re coming in. No, it’s never done anywhere.”
The new entry requirements mandate travellers to obtain clearance before arriving in the country.
These enhanced measures include thorough background checks through Interpol and criminal record systems, enabling authorities to better assess potential risks and ensure public safety.
The government also intends to expand these security protocols to land borders, acknowledging the need to prevent individuals from circumventing airport security by entering Nigeria via alternative routes.
“When it comes to security,” Tunji-Ojo explained, “life will never remember us for the 99 per cent we get right. History will remember us for the 1 per cent we do wrong. And security is not a sector where you can afford to be 99.9 per cent accurate. It just has to be 100 per cent.”
