The Nigeria Immigration Service today has its foundation in digital space from the 17th May 2007 under the leadership of Comptroller General of Immigration, Chukwurah Joseph Udeh,in a move to improve on the Machine Readable Passport(MRP) and migrate to E-Passport in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard,the NIS introduced the e-passport,thereby putting the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the pages of history, as the first country in Africa to have migrated from MRP to E-Passport.
Comptroller General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede, who became the 16th CGI, in 2017 viewing the complex security landscape saw the need for improved quality and standard amidst acceptability of the Passport among comity of advancing nations,a new Passport was introduced to meet the ICAO demand after 10 years of the existence of the E-Passport.
Babandede got the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval to migrate to a more digitally robust, durable, acceptable by all standard,highly secured,first of its kind in Africa passport in the category known as Enhanced E-Passport.
The first copies were issued to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, and Vice President, Prof.Yemi Osinbajo, at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa,marking the flag off of a new generation of passport that meets world standard and was acceptable to the global community.
The Enhanced E-Passport introduced by Babandede has remained the rallying point of every successive Comptroller General appointed till date.
Kudos to General Abdulrahman Dambazzau,the then Minister of Interior, a man of standard and precision and focus leadership, who mid-wife alongside the digital Babandede for the delivery of a world class passport that has never needed a change by global rating till date
The Enhanced E-Passport has polycarbonate data page,durable and fraud tamper proof,longer validity,also with a 10 year validity passport menu reducing frequency of passport renewal by locals and those in the diaspora,online application and payment,promoting transparency and discouraging touting,introduction of NIN as mandatory requirement to align with global standard of one identity for both National passport holder and National Identity Card.
The digital era is now,the leadership of NIS must uphold standard and leverage on the foundation laid,by improving services and seeking for improvement through merit and knowledge based staff development and deployment to enhance service delivery.
NIS @62,this is an anniversary clarion call and appreciation of the labour of our heroes past,that shall never be in vain.
As an establishment of Parliament in August,1963,serving and retired officers must be proud of the legends and heroes of this great service and do more to uphold their vision.
James Sunday, a former Head of Media,Nigeria Immigration Service.
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