The Federal Government has announced that all visa applications will be moved online before March 1. Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this disclosure on Monday during an appearance on ‘X Spaces’ hosted by influencer Dr. Segun Awosanya.

Dr. Tunji-Ojo explained that a centralized visa approval centre has been established to unify the visa process, enhance national security, and reduce corruption. "This visa approval centre is a significant achievement for this administration," he said. "It will address corruption, improve national security, and streamline the visa regime for consistency. Before March 1, all visa application systems will be online to ensure thorough vetting."

The minister also highlighted the creation of a harmonized data centre at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Complex (BATTIC) at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Sauka, Abuja. He detailed the progress made, stating, "We have successfully built one of the largest data centres in Nigeria's history, an 8.3-petabyte centre. Prior to this, the Nigeria Immigration Service lacked a dedicated data centre, with Nigerian citizens' data being stored by private contractors in violation of the Data Protection Act."

Dr. Tunji-Ojo emphasized the need for proper security document management, stating that Nigeria's previous reliance on private data storage was a breach of due process. "We promised a 1.4-petabyte data centre but delivered an 8.3-petabyte one, which is now among the largest in the world," he concluded.