As
part of the resolution of the Presidential Enabling Business
Environment Council (PEBEC) aimed at attracting foreign investors to the
country, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service,
has made a new announcement.
A Nigerian Passport and Visa used to illustrate the story
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, Mr Muhammad Babandede, made the announcement on Thursday in Abuja.
Babandede said that 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 Visa on
Arrival 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 that 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 a Mission.
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 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.
‘’Applicants are, however, to note that successful payment
online is not an approval and should not proceed to Nigeria until you
have received “Visa on Arrival Approval letter” duly issued by the NIS
Headquarters, Abuja,” he added.
He said that a VOA desk had been opened at all international
airports in the country where visas would be issued upon the
presentation of all the necessary travel documents and evidence of visa
payment.
The NIS boss expressed optimism that the VOA process and the
introduction of the harmonised arrival and departure cards would go a
long way in attracting investors to the country.
-NAN