The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has commenced the installation of electronic gates (e-gates) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA) in Lagos as part of a significant initiative to strengthen national security, streamline passenger processing, and improve the ease of business operations in the country.
During an inspection on Friday, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announced that the e-gate installation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja has been completed.
He detailed the progress at Lagos airport, highlighting the phased installation process across its three terminals.
“Lagos has three wings. This is Terminal 2. We have the D and E wings. Now you see that the gates have been installed.
“What they are doing now is called the User Acceptance Test (UAT) which is the last stage and by Monday morning, this wing will have been completed 100 per cent.
“As it is, it is already installed. So, we just need to align the sensor,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
He further elaborated on the installation timeline, stating, “From here, we will move to the D Wing which has four gates because we can’t block the three entrances at the same time.
“We can’t work simultaneously because of the ease of passengers. So, we have to be taking them one after the other. The assurance we have is that by next weekend, the D Wing will have been fully completed.
“We will then be left with the E wing which has eight gates. This may take us another maximum of two weeks.”
Tunji-Ojo projected that in the next three weeks, the Lagos airport would be fully operational with e-gates, after which the installation will extend to other major airports in Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt, each of which will have four gates.
He reiterated the crucial role of e-gates in enhancing national security, noting that these systems are connected to global databases.
He compared the experience to that of international airports like JFK in New York, underscoring the aim to provide a similar “sweet experience” for Nigerian travellers.
“When you travel to New York and you get to JFK, as a foreigner, you are in the queue. An American carries his passport and goes in easily. That gives him lots of confidence that he is in his country.
“This is called sweet experience and this president is bent on giving Nigerians the sweet experience,” said Tunji-Ojo.
“It is about changing the narrative and telling us that things we see in other places can work in Nigeria,” he added.
The e-gate project, part of a broader border control management solution, involves biometric verification through facial or iris recognition, fingerprints, or a combination of both methods.
Upon successful verification, a gate or turnstile opens to allow passage, while failed verifications or system malfunctions result in denied access.
In a related development, the Federal Government has announced that it will revise the nation’s visa policy to stimulate foreign investments and enhance visits to Nigeria.
Tunji-Ojo announced during a recent stakeholders consultative meeting on Nigeria visa in Abuja.
”An efficient visa policy is fundamental for investment promotion and economic progress,” he noted.
