Nigeria’s Kemi Nandap to Head ECOWAS Immigration Forum

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mrs Kemi Nandap, has emerged as Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of Immigration Forum.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Mr Kenneth Udo, published on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday.

The service said that the milestone occurred during the forum’s recent meeting in Banjul, Gambia, where 13 member states gathered to address migration and mobility challenges.

The gathering focused on accelerating the implementation of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) and abolishing the 90-day stay limit/residence permits for community citizens.

ENBIC aims to replace the ECOWAS Travel Certificate and Residence Permit, facilitating easier movement, residence, and business across the region without compromising national security.

The NIS PRO quoted Mrs Nandap as emphasising the need for expedited policy implementation to foster regional integration and socio-economic progress.

She acknowledged the strides made so far, while highlighting current challenges such as Irregular Migration, Human Trafficking, and Border Security concerns, which have been exacerbated by expansive borders.

She also called for a coordinated and harmonised approach to Border Management and Immigration practices across the region to ensure both Security and the protection of Citizens’ rights.