The Federal Government has introduced a stricter immigration policy to address the issue of visa overstays in Nigeria, reinforcing its commitment to border control and national security.

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, clarified that Nigeria’s visa-on-arrival policy has not been scrapped but emphasised the government’s firm stance on visa violations.

Tunji-Ojo announced that foreign nationals who exceed their visa duration by three months will face a five-year entry ban, while those who remain illegally for a year will be barred from re-entering Nigeria for ten years.

“If you overstay your Nigerian visa for three months, we will ban you for five years. If you overstay for one year, we will ban you for ten years,” Tunji-Ojo declared while speaking on Arise TV.

As part of broader immigration reforms, the government has introduced a three-tier compliance list to categorise foreign nationals based on their adherence to regulations.

The White List includes individuals who fully comply with visa rules and are welcome to enter Nigeria. The Grey List covers those with minor infractions who have settled required penalties. The Black List applies to individuals with serious violations, particularly those that threaten national security or significantly abuse immigration laws.

Tunji-Ojo stressed that these measures are aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s immigration framework, improving border management, and ensuring strict enforcement of visa regulations. (Vanguard)