Zainab Abioye
The Nigeria Immigration Service has ordered a nationwide overhaul of its airport operations, with the deployment of advanced technology and specialised training aimed at strengthening border security, curbing corruption and improving the experience of international travellers.
The Comptroller-General of the NIS, Kemi Nandap, directed the reform as part of a new drive to reposition immigration operations at the nation’s airports for what the Service described as “professional excellence, ethical conduct and enhanced service delivery.”
The Service Public Relations Officer, DCI Akinsola Akinlabi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.
Akinlabi said the initiative began with an intensive two-week tactical training programme for frontline personnel at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Command, Abuja.
The training, held from July 28 to August 7, 2026, at the NIS national headquarters in Abuja, focused on strengthening officers’ capacity to manage increasingly complex airport and border security challenges.
Among the key areas covered were passenger profiling, biometric surveillance, automated e-Gates, visa and entry verification, passenger and crew clearance, apron operations and queue management.
The officers were also trained in the use of the Migration Information and Data Analysis System, an electronic border-management platform used to support immigration control and passenger processing.
The Service said the training was designed not only to improve operational efficiency but also to strengthen ethical standards and anti-corruption practices among personnel deployed to the country’s international gateways.
According to the statement, the programme was introduced in response to the rapid growth in international passenger traffic and the changing nature of security threats confronting modern border-management agencies.
Nandap, it said, considered it necessary to equip immigration personnel with the technical competence required to operate sophisticated border-control systems while maintaining professional standards.
The NIS said the Abuja training represents the first phase of a wider national programme that will progressively upgrade airport formations across the country.
It added that the reforms would seek to ensure that officers working at airports were adequately equipped to respond to emerging security and operational challenges.
The Service further described the programme as a shift towards greater accountability, technological innovation and modernised airport immigration operations.
The NIS stressed that the objective was not limited to introducing technology but also to ensure that personnel understood how to deploy the systems responsibly while adhering to ethical standards.
It said the reforms would also improve the processing of passengers, reduce avoidable delays and enhance Nigeria’s reputation at its international gateways.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains committed to continuously improving its airport operations through professional capacity development, innovation, accountability and adherence to global best practices,” Akinlabi said.
He added that the measures were aimed at strengthening border security while improving the experience of international travellers.
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