The Federal Government has unveiled a sweeping policy aimed at penalizing visa overstayers in Nigeria, alongside the full digitalization of key immigration processes.
This is in a move to tighten immigration compliance and overhaul bureaucratic inefficiencies,
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the measures during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting on Friday at NECA House in Lagos. The event centered on reforms to the expatriate quota system and an update on the forthcoming Nigeria Visa Policy (NVP) 2025.
Starting August 1, 2025, foreign nationals who exceed the validity of their visas will face a daily penalty of $15, the minister said. Those who overstay by more than three months risk a five-year ban from re-entering Nigeria, while overstays exceeding one year could lead to a permanent ban.
The policy, though stringent, comes with a three-month grace period beginning in May 2025 — an amnesty window for foreign nationals to regularize their immigration status or make arrangements to exit the country without penalty.
“From the first of August, if you have not taken advantage of the amnesty period, the penalty will apply,” Tunji-Ojo said. “But if you use that window to regularize your status, we will not charge you. This is not about punishment. It’s about creating a clean and accountable immigration system. We need to know who is in our country and why.”
The minister was candid in his delivery, speaking not just as a policymaker but as a steward of national interest: “If you’ve overstayed for more than three months, you get five years. More than one year? Please don’t come back. Nigeria is not a safe haven for violators.”
Alongside the crackdown, the government is also launching a fully digital process for obtaining the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC), a critical document for foreign nationals living and working in Nigeria.
Set to go live on May 1, the digital platform will allow applicants to fill out and submit forms online, make payments electronically, and track the status of their applications without setting foot in a government office. A dedicated portal will be available via the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) website.
“We are not increasing the CERPAC fee,” Tunji-Ojo assured. “What we are doing is cleaning up the system. No more buying forms in person or queuing at the bank. Everything will now be done at the comfort of your desk — the way it should be in a 21st-century nation.”
He added that the revamped system would be integrated with international crime databases, including Interpol, to ensure Nigeria does not become a hideout for fugitives. “If you have criminal records, don’t apply. This place is not safe for you,” he warned.
In a bid to align Nigeria’s immigration practices with global standards, the government also plans to hold employers accountable for the legal status of their foreign staff. “Employers will be responsible. That’s how it’s done globally. If you’re hiring, ensure your employees are compliant. Our business is with you, the business owners,” the minister emphasized.
Tunji-Ojo noted that the reforms are the result of over a year of consultations and research into best practices worldwide, signaling a shift from bureaucratic stagnation to strategic modernization.
“This is about nation-building. We are not closing our doors to the world — we’re simply saying: come right, stay right.”
© Ripples Nigeria