The Nigerian Government has announced that all visa applications will be processed exclusively online by March 1, 2025, as part of efforts to streamline procedures and enhance national security.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this disclosure in Abuja, saying a centralised visa approval centre has been established to streamline the process, ensure uniformity, and curb corruption.
Tunji-Ojo said; “The visa approval centre is an achievement for this administration because we now have a centralised visa approval centre.
“This will stem corruption, ensure national security, and merge the visa regime to ensure uniformity. Before March 1st, all visa application systems will be online to ensure proper vetting.”
The Minister reiterated the existence of a harmonised data centre at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Complex BATTIC domiciled at the headquarters of the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS in Sauka, Abuja.
He said: “We were able to build one of the biggest data centres in the history of Nigeria, which is the 8.3 petabyte centre. Before then, we had an issue, because we inherited a Nigeria Immigration Service that had no data centre, where the data of Nigerians were obviously being saved in private capacities with various contractors, and that was a gross contravention of the Data Protection Act.
“Nigeria cannot proliferate the issuance of its security document because it is a gross violation of due process and so, we decided to find a lasting solution to that, and we started by promising Nigerians a 1.4-petabyte data centre, but we ended up delivering an 8.3-petabyte data centre – one of the largest in the world.”
The Minister reassured Nigerians that the new initiatives will improve service delivery, enhance border security, and position the country for greater digital transformation in immigration services.
However, with the deadline for full digitisation set for March 1, prospective applicants are urged to familiarise themselves with the online process to avoid delays and complications.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
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