Electronic gateway to expedite screening of foreign travelers—Interior Minister

According to Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, e-gate will soon be in place, making airport arrivals a more pleasant experience for Nigerians travelling abroad.

The E-gate is an electronic gate that, similar to a scanner, has all the necessary modern facilities to scan newly arrived people at the airport quickly and simply, without the normal delay.

The minister made the pledge on Monday while supervising the ongoing construction of an e-gate (scanner) at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, which is run by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

He promised that once the project was completed, immigration officials would no longer have to manually scan passengers’ documents, which would greatly reduce the time it took for them to enter the nation.

According to Tunji-Ojo, the Nigerian government had assured the public that, unlike in the past, e-gate would make airport security checks much easier for Nigerians.

Eight electronic gates are scheduled to be placed at the Abuja Airport, and I was pleased to see that the project is proceeding according to plan.

However, I informed them that I will not be satisfied with eight and that they should raise it by two to ten.

“According to the contractor’s promises, the other ones will be delivered before the end of the month, bringing the total to ten. So far, they have installed some.”

The minister emphasised that passengers would have a reduced wait time if there were more electronic gates.

The more e-gates there are, the faster travellers can go through security. By examining the one that had been tested, I discovered that clearing a person takes approximately 30 seconds.

After reviewing the solutions and hardware, I can say with confidence that this is among the finest times ever recorded.

According to Tunji-Ojo, who seen things firsthand, he was certain that, once finished, Nigerians would no longer be vulnerable to NIS personnel or anybody else upon their arrival in the country.

Because it’s as easy as inserting your passport, scanning it, opening the gate, reading your face and biometrics, capturing you, and then you’re good to go—this is a proven reality.

Meeting with an immigration official is not necessary.

Gain, though—unless you’re a notable figure—I’ll have to mention that. The point isn’t merely for you to set a new record in terms of passing time.

“No, that isn’t all; the nation’s security is a secondary concern.”

Two or three licencing verifications, the minister continued, would allow the government to add another layer to its national security architecture.

According to him, this would make it easy for the right people to identify any passenger or person of interest who was already on the watch list.

Additionally, he mentioned that once the project was operational, it would greatly assist NIS officers in carrying out their duties.

A new chapter will be written in the history of the country and NIS when this initiative is completed.

Not only is Abuja part of the project, but we’re also planning to deliver around 16 in Lagos, 8 in the D-Wing, and 8 in the E-Wing.

“And that’s not even counting the one in Lagos’s private wing, bringing the total to seventeen; Kano has around five, Enugu four, and Port Harcourt four.”

Tunji-Ojo elaborated that his belief was that in order to receive the services, people should not go through Abuja.

Moreover, while at NIS headquarters, the minister also examined the Advanced Passengers Information System (APIS), another active initiative.

At least two hours before to an individual’s or passenger’s arrival at the country, APIS allows NIS officials to view their biodata.

Since all of the necessary hardware, including the servers, was already on-site, Tunji-Ojo was pleased with the progress made thus far and announced that the project was 70% complete.

I am overjoyed since the contractor has promised that it would be completely ready in three weeks.

The E-NIS initiative, which automates border control processes, is thus well on its way, and the people of Nigeria are in for a treat.

Finally, NIS is prepared to do its part in bolstering the nation’s defence infrastructure. My position on NIS has never changed: it is fundamental to our nation’s defence.

He explained that the decision to automate and utilise technology was based on the fact that the service’s efficiency greatly impacts the country’s security.