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Immigration earns N12bn from e-passports

By on January 29, 2015

The Nigeria Immigration Service said on Tuesday that it generated N12.2bn from the issuance of e-passports to citizens in 2014.

This was just as it inaugurated an electronic platform to block revenue leakages and enforce accountability and probity in government transactions.

The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mr. David Parradang, who said this during the inauguration of the e-platform system in Abuja, stated that the service generated N9.2bn locally, while the immigration desks at the Nigerian Missions abroad generated $15.4m last year.

He also said that a data centre was also constructed during the year to guarantee quick resolution of technical issues regarding the e-payment platform.

Parradang stated that the NIS would continue to strengthen the system architecture of the e-passport through conscientious implementation of necessary initiatives in addition to its traditional role within the security matrix of the country.

The CG added that as part of the drive to further provide security for NIS personnel and visitors, the service constructed two automatic rising bollards to enhance effective control of entry and exit of vehicles around its headquarters building.

He said, “The transition from cash collection has evidently improved our internally generated revenue profile astronomically. For instance, in 2014, the sum of N9,249,483,600 was generated locally as revenue accruing from e-passports, while the immigration desks at the Nigerian missions abroad, where we are currently issuing e-passports, generated $15,346,980.”

The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, who inaugurated the projects, lauded Parradang for embarking on the reform of the NIS, noting that the data centre would ensure prompt resolution of challenges with the online payment platform.

He promised continuous support to the NIS to ensure that it becomes a world-class migration management agency that could compete with any of its counterparts in the world.

 

[Punch]