From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
From May 1, 2025, Federal Government will begin to take stock of all expatriates and foreigners working in Nigeria under the expatriate administration system with a view to prosecuting those that violated the immigration laws.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo disclosed this at the stakeholders’ sensitisation workshop on the implementation of the Nigeria Visa Policy 2025 in Abuja.
The minister also revealed that every foreigner is expected to be captured on the platform.
“And at the end of the day, we want to be able to know where you are, what you’re doing, and we want to be accountable for everybody in Nigeria. We will be giving a three-month window. I call it an asylum window from the 1st of May till the 1st of August for regularisation of immigration protocols in line with our laws” he said, adding that after the expiration of the ‘asylum window’ the federal government will move into enforcement and prosecution.
“After that, we will move to the era of enforcement, prosecution, and deportation. We know today that there’s a lot of abuses in terms of our immigration policies.
“But before we act, we want to give you the opportunity to act. Anybody that falls short of that, obviously, has other motives of being in Nigeria. We want you in Nigeria, but to the extent to which you are ready to obey the laws of Nigeria.
“That’s the truth. I go to the US. I go to the UK. I go to China. I go all over the world. I subject myself to the laws of every country I go to.
Nigeria is not inferior. If you come to Nigeria, obey the laws of Nigeria. It’s not too much to ask for.
“We want to be equal partners. We want to build a partnership with all of you, especially the diplomatic corps in line with the principle of mutual respect.
Respect for our laws, and respect for your places. We want to respect you. We will respect you.
But we expect you to also respect us. Let’s work together as partners. It’s important.
“It’s not just your responsibility to make a living in Nigeria. It is also your responsibility to see that Nigeria continues to grow. And no country can grow in an era of lawlessness.
“So, we will and we want to build the ambassadors here. Because we will still meet with you through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs later—–all ambassadors.
We will start by August 1. We’re not going back. And at that stage, I don’t want to hear ambassadors. No, because we are giving three months window.
“From now to August 1 is four months. If you know you’re wrong, if you know you’re not on the path of the law, bring yourself forward. Let’s look at it and let’s see how we can regularise to help you.
“We don’t want punitive reaction to be our first line of action. We want to give an opportunity for harmonisation, for reconciliation, before confrontation. Please, we want you to talk to your people to follow our laws” he said.
Tunji-Ojo used the occasion to announce the introduction of landing and exit cards.
Explaining this, he said that a foreigner is usually given a paper on arrival to Nigeria to fill. But that paper is not serving its purpose. So, right now, the paper will be automated and digitalised to serve its full purpose.
“And also, part of what we are introducing is our landing and exit card. Today, when you come into Nigeria, we’ll give you a paper to fill.
That paper, for me, is not serving the purpose it’s supposed to serve. But we are automating that. We are digitalising it.
“So, before you board, you must have a landing card. A landing card is integrated with Interpol 24/7. So, you will fill the landing card and you must submit it before you are boarded.
Not that you get to Nigeria before you’ll fill and submit the landing card. No. Because that alone is putting a huge responsibility on us. There are people that get into Nigeria with a landing card and we need to deport them.
That is taxpayers’ money. We will not waste taxpayers’ money on nothing. So, from your country, fill it.
“It doesn’t take more than two minutes. Fill the landing card online. You submit it online.
And when you submit it online, it’s automatic. If you’re online, you only live there. Why you will not be able to complete the task is if there’s an indictment for immigration offences” the minister insisted.
Consequently, he warned that expatriates should stop abusing the nation’s immigration laws because Nigeria is not a dustbin. Such abusers of the law, he warned, should be blacklisted.
Also, he noted, there would be a penalty for expatriates that overstayed in Nigeria.
According to him, there will be three lists———white list, grey list and black list depending on the severity of offences.
“Because we are automating our grey and black lists on immigration. if you keep abusing our immigration laws, I’m sorry. Nigeria is not a dustbin for illegal and unlawful activities. We will put you on the black list.
And henceforth, for visa owners, after the amnesty period, there will be a daily penalty for overstay of your visa.
And if you go beyond a certain time in terms of overstay, we will suspend you. And if it goes beyond that level, we’ll blacklist you. So, we’re going to have three lists.
The white list, the grey list, and the black list. The white list, you are free to come back. We open our borders.
If there are minor infractions and you pay your penalties, that’s the grey list. But if there are serious infractions bordering on our national security that borders on core abuse of our immigration laws, it’s going to be on the black list.” the minister said