By Reportcircle Abuja
In a bold move to tighten Nigeria’s security architecture and strengthen the nation’s troubled identity ecosystem, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nana Nandap, on Thursday led a high-level delegation to the headquarters of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in Abuja for a strategic engagement with its Director General/CEO, Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote.
The meeting, described by insiders as “critical and overdue,” brought together two of the Federal Ministry of Interior’s most consequential agencies whose collaboration has become central to tackling identity fraud, porous borders, and gaps in national data systems.
In her remarks, CG Nandap underscored the “non-negotiable” alignment between both institutions, stressing that Nigeria cannot secure its borders or achieve a functional identity system without seamless cooperation between Immigration and NIMC.
She highlighted areas requiring deeper synergy, including:
Integrated border security operations
Real-time identity verification
Shared national data infrastructure
Enhanced service delivery for citizens and migrants
According to her, strengthening these pillars is essential to safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity and supporting national development goals.
Receiving the delegation, NIMC DG/CEO Coker-Odusote reaffirmed the Commission’s readiness to scale up collaboration, describing identity management as “the backbone of every modern security framework.”
She called for sustained partnership to:
Improve data accuracy and integrity
Streamline joint operational procedures
Deploy robust digital identity infrastructure at border points
Drive innovation that connects identity to national planning and security
Coker-Odusote noted that stronger coordination between NIS and NIMC would help eliminate duplication, reduce identity fraud, and enable government agencies to work from a single, trusted national database.
Both agencies committed to deepening cooperation on policies and initiatives that enhance efficiency, strengthen national security, and modernise Nigeria’s identity and border management systems.
The visit marks a renewed push by the Ministry of Interior’s key institutions to build an integrated, technology-driven security ecosystem capable of meeting Nigeria’s evolving challenges.
