The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said the recent inauguration of electronic visa (e-visa) has achieved significant success, processing over 14,000 applications within its first six weeks.

Tunji-Ojo said this at a stakeholder’s sensitisation workshop on major Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) innovations on Monday in Abuja.

The electronic visa regime inaugurated by the Federal Government took off on May 1, 2025.

He also revealed that the electronic Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (e-CERPAC) and the electronic Temporary Work Permit (TWP) were set to go live within next week.

He, however, highlighted the efficiency of the new system, saying: “I can tell you within the first six weeks of the e-visa, we were able to process over 14,000 visa applications.

“This happened within six weeks. So, 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 and we are already working on it,’’ he said.

The Interior Minister said that the e-visa system was introduced not only for migration management but also as a catalyst for economic growth.

“To me, when somebody needs a visa to Nigeria, and all he is looking for is who knows the minister, who knows the CG Immigration, who knows the Permanent Secretary, that is not how to grow a country.

“We must make visa issues easy while not compromising national security. There must be that strategy.

“So for the e-visa, I want to assure you that it is here, and by the grace of God, is here to stay,” he maintained.

Tunji-Ojo, however, noted that the e-border solution had significantly bolstered Nigeria’s border security framework.

According to him, we are not yet where we want to be, but we are not where we were before.

“There has been progress, and the simple truth is, we will continue to invest in our e-border governance.

“We will put more boots on the ground to make sure that every inch of the Nigerian border space is well protected,” he said.

Speaking on the upcoming e-CERPAC and TWP, the minister declared an end to the misuse of the TWP system.

He said that the era when people will come on TWP almost for free, keep renewing over and over, just to evade the law, is gone.

“So, for us, TWP is automated just like CERPAC is already automated,” he emphasised.

The minister added that discontinuing manual archiving in passport application processes had resulted in an annual saving of approximately N1 billion as the relevant contract had been terminated.

Earlier, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs Kemi Nandap, elaborated on the recent digital innovations by the Service.

Nandap said that the new visa regime introduced 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 is 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 said.

Nandap said that the e-Visa system allowed for seamless online applications, eliminating the need for physical visits to immigration offices.

She added that the e-CERPAC integrated residence permits into a digital document, simplifying processes for foreign nationals residing in Nigeria.

“Our temporary work permit has also been digitised, reducing processing times and increasing efficiency,” she said. (NAN)