Nigeria to start issuing automated entry and exit cards for foreigners by May 1

In a major push to tighten border security and improve immigration data management, the Federal Government has announced that foreigners entering or leaving Nigeria will now be required to complete entry and exit cards online, starting from May 1, 2025.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, revealed the development during a joint media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, alongside the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo.

According to Tunji-Ojo, the move marks the end of the manual landing and exit card system at Nigerian airports, which he described as outdated and inefficient.

“We’ve always had the exit and landing cards, but in a manual format—you had to fill out a paper form. But Nigeria is a country of 230 million brilliant people, and we must lead the pack when it comes to technology,” he said.

The automated system, which is free of charge, requires foreigners to fill out their landing or exit forms online before boarding any flight to or from Nigeria. The forms must then be presented to airline officials before passengers are allowed on board.

“The landing and exit cards will be filled online before boarding and must be presented to airlines. The NCAA will take charge of coordinating and issuing regulations to the airlines,” the minister added.

He emphasized that the initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance national security and streamline immigration processes, noting that the cards are not for revenue generation but strictly for security and record-keeping.

To ensure a smooth transition, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Aviation have formed a joint team comprising officials from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The team is expected to finalize all necessary frameworks and regulatory protocols within a week.

“We’ve decided today to work together to protect one interest—the Nigerian interest. The NCAA and NIS will each nominate members to a joint implementation team that will handle the frameworks, regulations, and protocols,” Tunji-Ojo said.

He also announced a three-month amnesty period before full enforcement kicks in, giving foreigners who may have overstayed their visas or violated immigration laws the opportunity to regularize their status.

“The programme starts on May 1, 2025. We’ve also decided on a three-month amnesty period before full enforcement. Implementation begins May 1, but the amnesty allows foreigners who have overstayed their visas or breached immigration laws to come forward and regularize their status at immigration offices,” he explained.

The minister further highlighted existing collaborative efforts between the two ministries, such as the deployment of the Advanced Passenger Information System, which has led to significant improvements in border surveillance. He disclosed that the system has already helped apprehend several individuals on Interpol’s red notice list upon their arrival in Nigeria.

“These are people who, before this administration, would have found their way into Nigeria unnoticed. But thanks to our collaboration, they’ve been arrested and handed over to Interpol,” he said.

On how the system would work in practice, Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, explained that immigration officers and airline staff would verify each foreigner’s online form using their passport number upon arrival or departure.

“If you’re a foreigner and you walk up to a boarding desk, airline staff will ask for your exit card. If you’ve overstayed, the system will flag it, and the airline will refer you to immigration officers,” Keyamo said.

He noted that penalties for violations could range from fines and visa cancellations to being blacklisted from entering Nigeria for up to 10 years.