The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has renewed and strengthened its collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in a bid to enhance migration management and improve border governance across the country.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a two-day strategic meeting held in Lagos with the theme: “Strengthening Strategic Collaboration for Effective Migration Management and Border Governance.” NIS Zonal Coordinator, ACG Echefulam Anugwa, described the partnership as a model for effective cooperation between government institutions and international organisations, praising IOM for its sustained technical and operational support.
Goodwill messages delivered by representatives of key donor agencies—including the British High Commission, German Consulate, and Dutch Consulate—underscored the importance of leveraging the NIS–IOM partnership to improve Nigeria’s border management systems.
In her keynote address, the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, said the engagement provided a platform to evaluate existing cooperation and shape a roadmap for deeper collaboration, particularly in modernizing the nation’s border architecture through technology-driven solutions. She acknowledged IOM’s significant contributions to institutional reforms, capacity building, and policy development initiatives, such as the National Border Management Strategy.
IOM Nigeria’s Chief of Mission, Dimanche Sharon, commended the NIS for what he described as visionary leadership, noting that Nigeria has become a regional reference point in digital border governance, aided by systems such as MIDAS, e-Border solutions, and improved identity management processes. He added that the Lagos engagement would enable both organisations to identify operational gaps, capacity needs, and areas for impactful intervention in the next phase of their partnership.
The meeting features high-level presentations and technical sessions aimed at producing actionable recommendations and a joint roadmap to guide future cooperation.
The strengthened collaboration is expected to further consolidate Nigeria’s leadership role in migration management and border governance across West and Central Africa.
