Tinubu commissions NIS passenger surveillance centre

…Centre to save N300m annually as new passport regime begins 2025

President Bola Tinubu has applauded the state-of-the-art technology-driven passenger Surveillance Centre built by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), which led to the flagging and arrest of 10 persons of interest within one week of installation.

The president gave the commendation at the commissioning of the centre at the Immigration headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.

He noted that “The centre will also profile high-risk passengers, suspicious travel patterns, enhance video surveillance in unnamed areas, especially along the border areas, as well as cross-referencing of data with other international organisations.

The data complex comprises command/control and a data centre. It also has the ECOWAS biometric card production centre, all located within the headquarters of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Abuja

With the opening of the centre, Nigeria now joins six other African countries with a well-integrated passenger security system, a programme initiated 18 years ago under late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Tinubu said, “This project embarked upon by you is a great accomplishment at this complex. It will help Nigeria harness technology to drive development.”

The president, who charged Nigerians to embrace technology and changes, added, “We believe that if we rejig our immigration and air travel, we will benefit tremendously from the opportunity it offers for ease of entry and exit.

“By 2025 we could have achieved 100 new passport regimes. We acknowledge that a passport is more of a security document than a travelling document and must be treated as such so you.”

“What you have achieved has given this country a great reputation not just within ECOWAS but among other comity of nations.

The complex comprises seven key components, including a data centre, command and control centre, visa approval centre, ECOWAS centre, and a solar farm.

“Nigeria is harnessing technology to drive her process. At this stage, with over 200 million people, a leader in Africa must embrace technology, changes, innovation knowledge-based opportunities to drive a process that is greater for the generality and a vast number of people.

“We believe that if we rejig our immigration and air travel, we will benefit tremendously from the economic opportunity it offers, ease of entry, ease of exit.”