The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, has restated the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening maritime border security in the country.
While delivering her address at the jointly organised workshop by the United Nations counter terrorism team and the Nigeria Immigration Service in Lagos on Tuesday, she harped on the importance of re-evaluating strategies of evolving challenges.
“We recognise the urgent imperative of deploying modern surveillance systems and advanced communication technologies for early threat detection and rapid response. Maritime border security is a cornerstone of national security, and the NIS is unwavering in its mission to prevent foreign terrorist fighters and criminal elements from exploiting our maritime borders.
“Effective control of passenger movement and travel documentation remains a critical front line in our counter-terrorism strategy,” she added.
Speaking on the theme of the workshop, ‘Maritime Border Security,’ she said, “This forum today further solidifies our collective resolve to combat a wide array of transnational threats — including piracy, terrorism, arms smuggling, human trafficking, illegal migration, and stowaway incidents.
“These issues jeopardise the safety of vessels and crews, threaten national and regional stability, and undermine economic progress. Our response must be multidimensional — encompassing sound policy development, strategic capacity building, robust community engagement, and sustainable regional cooperation.”
She emphasised the significance of the Gulf of Guinea, stretching along West Africa’s Atlantic coast and encompassing nations such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Benin.
This, she said, holds vast strategic and economic importance.
“Its offshore oil and gas reserves contribute significantly to the global energy supply. However, its promise is being undermined by persistent maritime insecurity from illegal oil bunkering and fishing to piracy and other violent maritime crimes.
“Unlocking the full economic potential of the Gulf of Guinea aligns with key continental frameworks, such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, the 2050 Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS), and the Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa. Yet, to realise these ambitions, we must first secure our waters,” she added.
According to her, the agency’s commitment to technology innovation is top-notch, adding that air-border security are now being integrated into its operations.
“The NIS is actively expanding its technological capabilities, including the adoption of Advanced Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems for enhanced intelligence sharing. These tools, already instrumental in air-border security, are now being integrated into our marine operations through the expansion of our Border Management Information System (BMIS). This strategic deployment will allow us to better monitor and secure our territorial waters.”
“Our presence here today is a clear demonstration of our dedication to the principles outlined in AIMS 2050 and ECOWAS’s Gulf of Guinea strategy. We are committed to creating a safe, secure, and prosperous maritime environment — one that supports the growth of the blue economy and advances our collective social, economic, and environmental goals.”
In conclusion, the Comptroller-General emphasised the necessity of sustained collaboration, innovation, and strategic action in addressing the evolving security challenges of the Gulf of Guinea. She called on all stakeholders to leverage the insights gained from the workshop to build a more secure, resilient, and prosperous maritime environment.
“As the Nigeria Immigration Service looks forward to the compendium of good practices resulting from this engagement, there is a strong expectation that the outcomes will further enhance cooperation among states, strengthen adherence to international protocols, and bolster joint task force capabilities — all in alignment with the Yaoundé Code of Conduct and the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy,” she added.
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