FG to begin automation of landing, exit cards for foreigners on May 1
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced significant reforms to its immigration procedures, which will take effect on May 1, 2025. These improvements are intended to improve border security and streamline the entry and exit procedures for foreign travellers.Foreigners will now be required to submit forms online before boarding flights to or from Nigeria thanks to automated processes. No
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the announcement on Wednesday during a joint briefing with the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, in Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo stated that the new system is free of charge and is purely intended to improve national security and information management.
He stated, "We've always had exit and landing cards, but only in a manual format—you had to fill out a paper form. But Nigeria is a country of 230 million bright individuals, and we must be at the forefront of technological innovation. In light of this, we are automating the procedure, which will take effect on May 1, 2025.
"So, before boarding, you will fill out the landing and exit cards online, which must be provided to the airlines before you can board. The NCAA is in charge of organising and issuing regulations to airlines, and we agreed today that they will handle it because they are just as devoted to defending our country, securing our borders, and upholding our national sovereignty as we are.
"In addition, we will introduce other measures, which we will describe in greater detail later. We have also agreed that the e-visa will make it easier for people to enter Nigeria while improving national security. The applications will be processed electronically.
"There is already a centralised visa approval centre at the immigration headquarters. Officers have been trained and equipped, and the system is linked to key international criminal databases, including Interpol. This will enable for more thorough background checks for those entering Nigeria. The landing and exit cards are free. Nobody is paying for them. It's only for security and record-keeping purposes."
Tunji-Ojo also announced a three-month amnesty, which will terminate on May 1 when full enforcement begins.
"The programme begins on May 1, 2025. We've also chosen to grant a three-month amnesty period before full enforcement. Implementation begins on May 1, however the amnesty permits foreigners who have overstayed their visas or violated immigration laws to come forward and regularise their status at immigration offices," he explained.
The minister remembered that the two ministries had previously collaborated to develop the Advanced Passenger Information System, which significantly improved border monitoring.
According to him, numerous people on Interpol's red notice list were recently caught upon entering Nigeria using the system.
"These are folks who would have entered Nigeria unnoticed under previous administrations. But owing to our coordination, they were apprehended and turned over to Interpol," he stated.
Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation, detailed how the automated system works, adding that when a foreigner arrives in Nigeria, their admission card, which they fill out online, is validated against their passport number.
The same procedure will apply upon departing, with the exit card being checked in the same way.
"If you are a foreigner and walk up to a boarding desk, airline personnel will request your exit card. If you've overstayed, the system will alert you, and the airline will direct you to immigration agents," Keyamo said.
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