Nigeria Immigration Service Generates N39bn in 2018

• Nigerian Immigration Service Generates N39bn in 2018

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) generated N39,061,098,079.50 in 2018.

The amount was 9.34 percent higher than the N35,724,482,338.96 recorded in 2017.

The NIS received a total of 1,011,158 passport applications in 2018, according to the data from Immigration Statistics. Representing an increase of 40.25 percent from the 729,958 received in previous year.

Breaking down the number, adult applications were 779,905 in 2018, while minor were 173,461. The remaining 57,792 were from senior citizens.

Another 185,657 passports were issued at Nigerian foreign missions in 2018, again more than the 152,163 issued in the preceding year.

Nigerian foreign missions issued a total visa of 120,697 during the year, representing an increase of 4.82 percent when compared to the number issued in 2017.

The international travellers’ movement recorded across the Nigerian borders stood at 4,529,153. This was 21.91 percent higher than the 3,715,268 achieved in 2017.

Meanwhile, president Muhammadu Buhari has approved the Nigerian Security Printing & Minting Company (NSPMC) as the sole printer of all Nigerian International Passport. The new policy is expected to save Nigeria $66.8 million in foreign exchange yearly.

Earlier this month, Henley Passport Index ranked Nigerian passport 98th most powerful passport in the world with access to 45 different nations.