Nigeria automates expatriate permit process to boost efficiency, curb graft

Nigeria will fully automate its expatriate residence permit process from May 1, a move aimed at significantly speeding up approvals and reducing opportunities for corruption, said interior minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

Critics said the current system for obtaining the combined expatriate residence permit and cards (Cerpac), the mandatory identification and residency document for foreigners working or living in Nigeria, is slow and susceptible to abuse.

Previously applicants for residence in Africa's most populous country and energy producer faced a cumbersome process involving visits to banks, physical form purchases  and manual document submissions.

Tunji-Ojo clarified in a post on X that the government was not increasing application fees but rather streamlining the application and payment systems through automation.

During a meeting with business leaders in Lagos last week, Tunji-Ojo said: "The era of going to the bank, buying forms and physically submitting documents applying for Cerpac is over.

"Everything will be processed online, with QR-coded digital copies and backend integration with security systems to verify criminal records and immigration history."

This online system is expected to expedite verification and enhance security checks, he said.

The government is also targeting the widespread misuse of the expatriate quota system, where companies are allocated a certain number of foreign workers for specific roles. The minister cited instances of quotas being approved for positions readily fillable by Nigerians, such as drivers and waiters.

The reforms will ensure quotas are granted primarily for roles requiring skills lacking locally, with a mandatory understudy scheme requiring companies to submit progress reports on knowledge transfer to Nigerian employees.

Further reforms include the introduction of a mandatory expatriate insurance scheme, funded by businesses, to cover repatriation costs and personal liability for foreign workers.

Tunji-Ojo issued a warning to individuals with criminal records, saying the integrated Cerpac system would connect with Interpol and other international security agencies to prevent Nigeria from becoming a haven for wanted persons.

The changes build on earlier reforms, including the automation of Nigeria's electronic visa approval and issuance process announced in February, all taking effect on May 1.

Reuters