The Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammed Babandede, has said the visa on arrival for holders of passports of African countries from January 2020 is to accelerate African Integration. A statement from Sunday James, the NIS Public Relations Officer, quoted Babandede as saying the decision would remove barriers hindering free movement of people within the continent.

“Nigeria’s strategic decision is taken to bring down barriers that have hindered free movement of our people within the continent by introducing the visa at the point of entry into Nigeria with effect from January 2020,” he said.

Babandede assured Nigerians of the service’s commitment to high professionalism in delivering its services without compromising National Security. Babandede’s statement on Dec. 11, which announced the federal government’s decision to allow Africans into Nigeria without visa from January 2020, was greeted with mixed reactions by Nigerians with many expressing fears over its security implications.