Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced that comprehensive reforms on the expatriate quota system and visa processes will begin on May 1, 2025. These reforms, led by the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), aim to increase transparency, encourage local employment, and modernize immigration procedures.
The government will tighten approval for expatriate quotas, disallowing roles such as waitresses, drivers, and other jobs that Nigerians with secondary school certificates can perform. The Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Alien Card (CERPAC) will transition to an electronic version to prevent forgery, featuring virtual copies, machine-readable cards, and integration with Interpol databases.
Additionally, a new electronic visa (e-visa) system will be introduced to simplify visa processing. Other planned measures include Temporary Expatriate Resident Permits (TERP), mandatory insurance, and the deployment of support desks for expatriates at immigration offices across the country. These reforms are part of a broader government initiative to align Nigeria’s immigration policies with international best practices.
