R-L Hon. Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and IOM Chief of Mission, Ms. Dimanche Sharon during the courtesy visit to the Ministry
By Abbanobi-Eku Onyekachi, Abuja
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to strategic, secure, and technologically advanced border management. This assurance was made during a high-level engagement with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other key stakeholders in Abuja.
In a press statement from Dr Ozoya Imohimi, the Director Press and Public Relations of the Ministry on Thursday, Dr. Tunji-Ojo highlighted notable progress in border management, including the completion of Phase One of Nigeria’s e-Border Surveillance System.
The government plans to extend real-time monitoring across all 4,047 km of the nation’s borders. Additionally, the Minister noted that the government has enhanced Nigeria’s sovereign travel document, aligning it with global best practices, and launched a digitalized landing and exit card system.
The Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to digital transformation and border governance, including the implementation of Advance Passenger Information (API) systems. He also mentioned plans to transition to interactive API (iAPI) capabilities and establish a centralized information management system to integrate visa, passenger, and security data.
However, Dr. Tunji-Ojo expressed concern over a recent IOM-facilitated workshop that proceeded without consultation or involvement from the Nigerian Immigration Service or the Ministry. He denounced the workshop as a “gross violation of our sovereign rights” and emphasized that Nigeria welcomes collaboration but insists on respect for its sovereignty and dignity.
The IOM Nigeria Chief of Mission, Ms. Dimanche Sharon, responded by expressing gratitude for the Minister’s candid remarks and praising Nigeria’s spirit, creativity, and innovation. She reaffirmed IOM’s readiness to work in partnership with Nigerian authorities, prioritizing saving lives, driving solutions to displacement, and facilitating regular migration pathways.
The dialogue reinforced the need for stronger collaboration, greater transparency, and sovereign respect in all migration and border security initiatives.
