The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says the electronic visa regime of the federal government which began on May 1 has been largely successful, stressing that it has processed more than 14, 000 applications within the first six weeks of going live.
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo disclosed this on Monday, during a stakeholders sensitization workshop on major immigration innovations held at the headquarters of the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS in Abuja.
According to him, the electronic Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card e-CERPAC and the electronic Temporary Work Permit TWP will also go live in the next one week.
“I can tell you within the first six weeks of the e-visa, we were able to process over 14,000 visa applications. Within six weeks. So, that by any standard in the world, is a pass mark. It is a huge one and, of course, those little hitches, I tell you, within the next one to two weeks, will be history. We will correct them.
“We are already working. Even yesterday in my house, the CGIS was there. Technological partners were in my house. The DCG visa was in my house. All of us in my house. We worked for hours yesterday, Sunday, even in my conference room at home. We were working because we understand when you are in the process of innovation, there is no room, there is no opportunity for you to close your eyes. You must make sure it works. We are ready for the challenge,”; he said.
The minister stated that the Federal Government decided to come up with the e-visa system knowing that it is not just a migration management document but also an enhancer of economic growth.
He added that the e-border solution has really also given Nigeria extra leverage in terms of its border security architecture.
Tunji-Ojo, while speaking on the e-CERPAC and TWP, reiterated that the era of using TWP to circumvent CERPAC was gone, adding that the elimination of manual archiving in the passport application processes has saved Nigeria about a billion Naira annually as the contract regarding that had since been cancelled.
On her part, Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Kemi Mandap, while explaining some of the recent digital innovations by the Service, said the new visa regime comes with its several innovative services, including the e-Visa Application Channel, e-CERPAC, Landing and Exit Cards and Temporary Work Permit.
“The already installed e-Gates at our major Airports and commissioned Command and Control Centre are positioned to house and harness these technologies. These digital solutions leverage technology to streamline processes, enhance security, and improve the overall experience for travellers and stakeholders”;, she explained.
The Immigration boss maintained that the e-Visa system allows for seamless online applications, eliminating the need for physical visits to immigration offices.
“The e-CERPAC integrates residence permits into a digital document, simplifying processes for foreign nationals residing in Nigeria. Our Temporary Work Permit has also been digitized, reducing processing times and increasing efficiency”;, she added.
