The Federal Government has announced the activation of an online immigration amnesty portal in July to allow foreigners who have overstayed their visas to regularise their stay in Nigeria before enforcement of penalties begins on August 1.

Interior Minister, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ sensitisation event at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja on Monday.

Tunji-Ojo urged members of the diplomatic corps to inform their nationals about the opportunity, emphasising that after the grace period, the law would be fully enforced.

“Please, for the benefit of our diplomatic corps, encourage your people to take advantage of the portal,” the minister said. “Once the amnesty period is over, we will implement the law 100 per cent.”

The initiative is part of broader immigration reforms introduced in April. Since May 1, visitors overstaying in Nigeria have incurred a daily fine of $15. However, the government offered a three-month moratorium, valid until July 31, allowing individuals to update their status without paying the penalty.

From August, overstayers face a five-year re-entry ban if they remain for more than six months beyond their visa’s expiry, and a 10-year ban if they overstay for a year or more, based on guidelines issued by the NIS.

The new amnesty portal allows users with expired visa-on-arrival permits, lapsed single-entry visas, or outdated expatriate residence cards to apply online for a Stay Permit.

Applicants can submit their documents and receive clearance digitally, removing the need for physical visits to immigration offices.

Tunji-Ojo also said that scrapping a previous contract for the manual archiving of immigration documents has saved the government nearly ?1 billion annually.

“The manual archiving was costing us almost a billion a year,” he said. “Now, we verify documents ahead of time and improve the integrity of our foundational data.”

The minister added that Nigeria’s passport system has seen major improvements since the introduction of a fully digital platform in January 2024. Applicants can now complete the process online, and appointments for biometric capture and passport collection are limited to 20-minute slots.

“The automation drive has removed scarcity and the corruption it encouraged,” Tunji-Ojo said.

He also provided updates on the electronic visa (e-visa) system, which processed over 14,000 applications within its first six weeks of launch.

The government plans to launch two additional digital platforms—the electronic Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (e-CERPAC) and the electronic Temporary Work Permit (e-TWP)—within the coming week.

The minister said the government is determined to eliminate abuse of the TWP system.

“People used to come on TWP and keep renewing it to avoid the law. That era is over. TWP and CERPAC are now automated,” he said.

Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nanna Nandap, also spoke at the event, highlighting several digital innovations now in place.

She said the e-Visa Application Channel, e-CERPAC, Landing and Exit Cards, and Temporary Work Permit are now central to immigration operations.

“These solutions leverage technology to streamline processes, enhance security, and improve the experience for travellers,” she said.

Nandap added that the newly installed e-Gates at major airports and the Commission’s Command and Control Centre have been designed to support these upgrades. (The Guardian)