By James Sunday, FCAI, MNIIA
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) was established by an Act of Parliament in August 1963, with responsibilities, otherwise known as mandates, clearly outlined in Sections 1 and 2 of the Immigration Act, 2015. According to Section 2(a–f), the NIS is the lead agency in border security and migration management. Its mandates include:
(a) Control of persons entering or leaving Nigeria.
(b) Issuance of travel documents, including Nigerian passports, to bona fide Nigerians within and outside the country.
(c) Issuance of residence permits to foreigners in Nigeria.
(d) Border surveillance and patrol.
(e) Enforcement of laws and regulations directly under its purview.
(f) Performance of paramilitary duties within and outside Nigeria as required by law.
By this background, there is no ambiguity about the duties and responsibilities of the NIS under the law. The Service ensures coverage of Nigeria’s vast territory, approximately 356,668 square miles (923,770 sq. km), including its land borders: 4,047 km with Benin Republic in the west, 1,690 km with Cameroon in the east, 87 km with Chad in the northeast, and 1,497 km with Niger in the north.
Understanding this demographic and geographic landscape is critical to sustaining effective patrols and surveillance. Using air, land, and sea border control systems, the Service operates across 114 approved border posts, 774 local government areas with Divisional Immigration Officers (DIOs), 36 state commands and the FCT, 8 zonal offices, and a national headquarters overseeing all immigration activities. Nigeria shares borders with four countries, Benin Republic, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, making these borders crucial for trade, security, diplomacy, and regional stability.
One major step forward was the publication of the NIS National Border Management Strategy 2019–2023, which laid the foundation for the integrated border management system. This strategy was drafted with input from stakeholders across related agencies operating at land, air, and sea borders.
Through effective and efficient border patrol and surveillance, the NIS aims to achieve:
(a) Enhanced national security.
(b) Contributions to national economic development.
(c) Reinforcement of social harmony.
(d) Fulfillment of international agreements and partnerships.
(e) Protection of migrants’ rights, especially vulnerable groups.
The NIS must focus on critical areas such as air, land, sea, virtual borders, returns management, visas, travel documents, and special border security environments. National approaches should prioritize strengthening border infrastructure, increasing patrols, and boosting migration intelligence. Identifying and disrupting trans-border criminalities, particularly terrorist threats, requires greater use of data systems, biometrics for border clearance, the deployment of Advance Passenger Information Systems (APIS) at air borders, and expanded community policing of border communities.
Technology also plays a vital role. The Migrant Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS), if fully deployed and utilized, can strengthen Nigeria’s border database and enhance operational efficiency.
Globally, there are three layers of control in border security and migration management:
- Before entry: through visa regimes from the traveler’s country of origin.
- At entry points: via land, air, and sea border checks.
- After entry: through internal surveillance, inspections, investigations, compliance checks, and issuance of residence permits.
Nigeria has also introduced virtual border control via its Command and Control Centre, as well as special border corps and forward operating bases. These efforts, if backed with adequate patrol vehicles, communication equipment, proper accommodation for operatives, and welfare support such as uniforms and boots, can greatly improve efficiency. Border operatives, as the first contact at Nigeria’s entry and exit points, must be well-equipped and presentable.
For lasting results, proper government funding, combined with accountability and probity by administrators, is non-negotiable. Only then can Nigeria fully secure its borders and strengthen its migration management system.