NIS Unveils Online Visa-on-Arrival Platform

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced the introduction of a liberalised online Visa-on-Arrival (VOA) facility to the public, especially foreign investors willing to invest in Nigeria.

The Comptroller-General of the NIS, Muhammad Babandede, made the announcement yesterday in Abuja.

Babandede said the measure was part of the resolution of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) aimed at attracting foreign investors to the country.

“As a critical member of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), the NIS has automated its visa application and processing services at all entry points.

“This is to ensure that all genuine requests for VOA facility from any part of the world are processed and issued within 48 hours (two working days),” he said.

He explained that the online VOA application and processing facility is a product of robust visa reforms regime intended to bring Nigeria in tandem with global best practices and attract Foreign Direct Investors and skilled professionals into the country.

The controller-general said the new process was designed to eliminate all unnecessary bureaucratic visa processing procedures in Nigerian missions abroad.

He said it was also to serve the interests of would-be visitors from countries where Nigeria does not have missions.

He said that a dedicated e-mail address: oa@nigeriaimmigration. gov.ng, had been deployed where visa applicants, their representatives or companies could forward their requests and details.

Babandede according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that applicants were advised to use functional e-mail addresses where copies of approval letter shall be forwarded upon a successful process and payment.