As part of the initiative to enhance the immigration process, the Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that all landing and exit cards for visiting foreigners will be digitalized effective May 1, 2025.
Disclosing this on Wednesday during a joint briefing with the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, noted that the automation will allow foreigners to complete the forms online before boarding flights to or from Nigeria.
They also explained that the new system is free of charge, will improve national security, data management, and make airport clearance swifter.
“We’ve always had the exit and landing cards, but in a manual format—you had to fill out a paper form. Nigeria is a country of 230 million brilliant people, and we must lead the pack when it comes to technology. Because of that, we are automating the process, and everything will take effect from May 1, 2025,” Mr Keyamo said.
On his part, Olubunmi-Ojo highlighted that although visitors are required to fill out the landing and exit cards online before boarding, they must be presented to airlines before they can board.
To ensure a smooth roll-out, both ministries agreed to form a joint team comprising officials from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Immigration Service. The minister explained that the team will finalise the regulatory protocols and implementation framework within a week.
“We’ve decided today to work together to protect one interest—the Nigerian interest. The NCAA and NIS will each nominate members to a joint implementation team that will handle the frameworks, regulations, and protocols. This should be completed within a week, hopefully sooner, so that the regulations can be issued to the airlines,” Mr Olubunmi-Ojo said.
He pointed out that the recently introduced e-visa will make it easier for people to come to Nigeria while enhancing national security as applications will be processed online. In addition, the Minister announced that other measures will be explained later.
Read Also: FG introduces e-visa initiative for short stay, to grant approval request within 48 hrs.
How the e-clearance system will work
Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo explained how the automated system would function.
Upon arrival, the visitor’s entry card—completed online—would be verified using their passport number. The same will apply to the exit card.
“If you’re a foreigner and you walk up to a boarding desk, airline staff will ask for your exit card. If you’ve overstayed, the system will flag it, and the airline will refer you to immigration officers,” Keyamo added.
He noted that consequences for violations could include fines, visa cancellation, or being blacklisted from entering Nigeria for up to 10 years.
As part of the initiative, the federal government is also rolling out a three-month amnesty period to allow visitors who have overstayed their visas or breached immigration laws to regularise their status at immigration offices.
More insights on improving services
With the availability of a centralized visa approval center at the immigration point that is integrated with a global criminal database, the Minister of Interior is confident of better background checks for arrivals.
The minister recalled that the collaboration between both ministries led to the deployment of the Advanced Passenger Information System, which has significantly improved border surveillance.
Mr Olubunmi-Ojo confirmed that several individuals on Interpol’s red notice list have recently been apprehended upon entry into Nigeria through the system.
“These are people who, before this administration, would have found their way into Nigeria unnoticed. But thanks to our collaboration, they’ve been arrested and handed over to Interpol,” he said.
Recall that in February, the Ministry introduced automation to its visa approval and issuance process. The automation aims to address prolonged wait times for travellers and phase out the likes of middlemen working with immigration officials.
The move allows travellers to apply online for short-stay visas, with approvals granted within 24 to 48 hours. Once approved, the e-visa is sent to the applicant’s email, eliminating the need for a physical sticker at the airport. In place of a physical sticker, approved e-visas are delivered electronically via email, simplifying entry procedures at airports.
The ministry expressed that the measure would eliminate irregularities and provide seamless documentation for travellers. It added that the initiative will boost travellers’ confidence.
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