The implementation of a new electronic visa (e-Visa) system will commence on May 1st, 2025, the federal government has announced.
Tunji Ojo, the Minister of Interior, and his Aviation and Aerospace Development counterpart, Festus Keyamo, made the disclosure in Abuja during a meeting on the implementation and enforcement of immigration protocols.
Without the need for a physical visit to an embassy or consulate, an electronic visa is a digital form of a visa that allows travelers to obtain travel authorization online. It simplifies the visa application process, making it more convenient and faster.
The visa is either printed or stored digitally for presentation upon entry into the destination country, with travelers typically filling out an online application form, uploading required documents (like a passport), paying the visa fee, and receiving the e-visa via email.
E-visas are used by many countries and are generally issued for purposes such as tourism, business, or transit. They streamline the travel experience by reducing paperwork and wait times.
Tunji-Ojo explained that there is a centralized visa approval center already at the immigration headquarters, assuring that officers have been trained, well-equipped, and integrated with all major criminal record systems in the world, including Interpol, for better background checks on people coming into Nigeria.
According to him, “We are also looking at removing bottlenecks and making sure people can get visas to Nigeria without lobbying anyone to come into Nigeria.”
He further explained that they want to open their borders without compromising national security, allowing people to come and explore the beauty of the land called Nigeria.
The Minister stated that they had decided to work together to ensure that there is only one interest to be protected: the Nigerian interest, stressing that the NCAA and the NIS have agreed to set up a mini-team to work together on the implementation framework, regulations, and protocols.
