The Federal Government says it has integrated more than 15 million migration records into a coordinated digital border management platform as part of reforms intended to strengthen identity checks, improve intelligence sharing and modernize the Nigeria Immigration Service.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo outlined the programme at the conclusion of specialized training for 87 immigration officers in Abuja. He said the ministry had established a data centre with capacity exceeding eight petabytes, developed a ten-year technology roadmap and deployed solar power to support its data-control operations.
According to the minister, fragmented databases previously made it difficult to connect visa, residence and identity information across agencies. The Centralized Interior Management System is intended to connect relevant platforms and improve verification, with broader coordination involving other ministry services and the National Identity Management Commission.
Tunji-Ojo questioned the completeness of earlier official figures on foreign nationals working in Nigeria and argued that accurate, connected information was necessary for effective migration administration. He also called for technology suppliers to transfer skills to Nigerian personnel rather than leave government dependent on external vendors.
Comptroller-General Kemi Nandap said the Border Management Information System had been integrated with the Migration Information and Data Analysis System, allowing authorized personnel to access a more coherent picture of travel movements and possible risks.
Nandap cautioned that technology-assisted alerts are not proof of wrongdoing. “An alert is not a verdict,” she said, stressing that officers must verify information, exercise professional judgement and respect professional judgement and respect travelers’ rights. She warned that incorrect data and unchecked automated indicators could cause harm.
The immigration chief set out standards of accuracy, integrity, judgement, readiness and accountability for the trained officers. She prohibited credential sharing, unauthorized searches and misuse of records, noting that digital audit trails would allow activity to be reviewed.
The minister also disclosed a separate welfare decision: President Bola Tinubu had approved lifetime salary arrangements for retired comptrollers-general and deputy comptrollers-general. He cited more than 50,000 promotions across interior services over roughly three years, as well as recruitment and improved allowances. The precise eligibility terms and fiscal implications of the lifetime-pay arrangement were not detailed in the supplied account.
Officials said success would be judged not by the number of devices or certificates issued but by the accuracy of records, consistency of border checks, system reliability and lawful treatment of travelers. Independent evaluation will be necessary to determine whether the technology improves security without compromising privacy or due process.
