Nigeria has taken a major step toward modernizing its borders, as the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) deepened their strategic collaboration during a high-level engagement held Wednesday, November 13, 2025, in Lagos.
The meeting, themed “Strengthening Strategic Collaboration for Effective Migration Management and Border Governance,” brought senior officials, international partners, and donor agencies together to chart a new path for migration governance in the country.
Welcoming participants, Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, ACG EL Anugwa (pcc, fsi, fcna) praised the NIS–IOM partnership as a model of government–international organization synergy, noting that IOM’s technical and operational support has remained invaluable. Representatives of the British High Commission, the Consulate of Germany, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands also delivered goodwill messages, pledging continued support to strengthen Nigeria’s migration systems.
In her keynote address, Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap (pcc, mmis, fsmn) described the meeting as a “strategic opportunity to review progress and deepen cooperation,” particularly in driving technology-enabled border management. She commended IOM’s sustained support in reforms, capacity-building, and in the development of critical policy tools such as the National Border Management Strategy.
IOM Nigeria’s Chief of Mission, Mr. Dimanche Sharon, lauded the NIS for what he called “visionary leadership” in transforming Nigeria’s migration architecture. He cited the deployment of systems such as the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) and other e-border solutions, noting that Nigeria has become a regional reference point in digital border governance and in combating trafficking and migrant smuggling.
The two-day engagement is expected to produce actionable recommendations and a joint roadmap for the next phase of the NIS–IOM partnership. Stakeholders say the outcome will not only boost Nigeria’s border security but also reinforce its leadership in migration management across West and Central Africa.