Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s migration and visa policies in collaboration with key stakeholders.
This initiative aims to simplify and improve the immigration processes for Nigerians both within the country and abroad. The move is part of the Ministry of Interior’s efforts to bring about positive changes in the nation’s immigration system.
Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the Head of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols Unit at the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), made this announcement in a statement on Tuesday. He disclosed that the Minister made the assurance during a courtesy visit by the Chairman/CEO of NIDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
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Tunji-Ojo expressed concern over certain imbalances in migration and visa policies that have led to Nigeria being perceived as a dumping ground. He emphasized that the upcoming policy review will prioritize the principle of reciprocity in accordance with international standards, reaffirming an announcement he made earlier last month.
The Minister had last month, issued a stern warning to embassies and foreign ministries, declaring that Nigeria would adopt a strict “eye for an eye” approach in response to visa and immigration policies.
“… The director of the Center for Illegal Migration in Turkey came to my office, and I told him in the next couple of weeks expect reciprocity in terms of travel policy.
“Any country that does not give me the visa on arrival cannot have a visa on arrival in Nigeria. I’m sorry but it is the truth. We’re not a dumping ground. If you say you are useful, people will see you as being useful.
“But if you tell people you are useless, people will tell you why are you this useless. We want to partner with you and so on the table, we must be partners. We must be equal partners and our relationship of investment must be on the basis of the principle of reciprocity.
“So we are doing that to all the countries in the world. The committee is working. I will receive the report tomorrow, you charge me $100 for a visa, I will charge you $100 for a Nigerian visa.
“If you give me visa on arrival. I give it to you. If you say the condition for me to enter your country today is that I must have American visa, Schengen visa, UK visa etc, you will have the same conditions to enter my country. It is not fight; it is about the issue of mutual respect,” he said.
He also commended the efforts of NIDCOM, particularly the proactive nature of its Chairman, in enhancing the welfare of Nigerians in the diaspora and promoting a positive image of the country internationally.
Tunji-Ojo also raised concerns about the challenges associated with passport processing, capturing, and collection. He expressed hope that steps would be taken to enhance the efficiency of these processes.
In her remarks, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa emphasized the need for a more effective passport-capturing and collection process for Nigerians living abroad. She called for a collaborative effort between NIDCOM and the Ministry of Interior, citing the various activities the Commission has undertaken since its inception.
Dabiri-Erewa stressed the urgency of establishing a structured platform for addressing complex diaspora issues that require coordinated efforts from different Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
The comprehensive review of migration and visa policies, with a focus on reciprocity and international standards, is expected to have a significant impact on easing immigration processes for Nigerians at home and abroad, as well as improving the overall image of Nigeria on the global stage.