The comptroller general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr. Muhammad Babandede, has said that the service generated over N62.6 billion and $41.83 million in 2019.
Babandede disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at the public presentation of the fourth edition of NIS annual report since the commencement of the administration in 2016.
He said the service had contributed immensely to boost the nation’s revenue with the amount realised in local currency.
He said NIS was not only a key security agency of the government but a security provider and a revenue generating outfit.
It would be recalled that the NIS remitted N6.94 billion and 36.90 million dollars to the federal government in 2018 as its shares of revenue generated through Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects.
“In 2019, the amount realised in local currency was N62, 610, 229, 859.5 billion while the foreign currency was $41,823,635.56 million paid into the federal government account,” he said.
Babandede said the year 2019 report followed the traditional practice of providing the performance index of the NIS in its areas of core mandate including functions assigned.
He noted that initiatives were executed towards strengthening the nation’s border control posts for enhanced border management.
“The service launched the NIS national border management strategy 2019-2023 and adopted a multi-directional and holistic approach to safeguard the nation’s expansive and unstructured border.
“Additional forward operation bases were commissioned in Ojo-odan and Daura border axis in Ogun and Katsina States respectively,” he said.
In his remarks, the minister of interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbeshola, said all NIS annual reports were presented as a new means of assessment, improvement, planning and retrospection.
Aregbeshola added that the report was also a means of engendering greater transparency, better decision making and improved processes.
He said the report was established on three fundamental objectives which were in tandem with the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari‘s administration of Security.
“This is in terms of border management, irregular migration, interception and arrest of cross-border criminals among others. The economy, which is revenue generation and economic growth through effective service delivery from visa, passport and residence permits.
“Transparency, which is openness in terms of presentation to the public,” he said.
Aregbeshola noted that NIS was taking the lead in changing the paradigm of how the public sector should operate in Nigeria.
This he said, not only in terms of publication of performance reports but as demonstrated in other forward-looking and creative reforms that the service had undertaken within the period under review.
He assured that the Ministry of Interior would continue to play its part in ensuring that all agencies under the ministry succeed in their respective mandates.
With NAN report
