Kemi Nandap: Rejuvenating, Repositioning The Immigration One Step At A Time

BY TAYO WILLIAMS 

Her appointment was not a cosmic roll of the dice. Rather, it was borne out of a firm and proven conviction that Kemi Nana Nandap possesses the ingenuity, mojo, experience, and expertise to achieve President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for the Nigerian Immigration Service.

There was an urgent need for innovation and reform in Nigeria’s immigration management, which left no room for the President to dither or pander to bureaucratic or political sentiments.

President Tinubu, a renowned and accustomed talent spotter, zeroed in on Mrs Kemi Nana Nandap as the new Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service. The Biochemistry graduate of the University of Ilorin had spent over three decades in the NIS serving in various strategic commands. Until February 2024 when the president announced her appointment, she was the Deputy Comptroller-General overseeing the Migration Directorate.

Upon assumption of office on March 1, 2024, the President charged her to deepen the ongoing reforms in the service, create a robust mechanism for efficient and dedicated service delivery to Nigerians, and strengthen Nigeria’s security through proactive and effective border security and migration management. It was a tall order but one that Nandap came well-acquitted for.

Indeed, Nigeria has a porous border problem, which threatens, in no small measure, her territorial integrity.

Over the past decade, unbridled movements from neighbouring countries like Niger, Chad, and Cameroun among others have significantly contributed to the rise in terrorism, banditry, smuggling, and organised crime especially in the North. While the President is an unabashed advocate of free movement in Africa for the advancement of trade and integration, he reckons that this must not come at the expense of national security.

It was a pressure cooker job crucial to Nigeria’s safety and would task the most intrepid individual, but Nandap is no wimp or shrinking violet.

In less than one year in office, Nandap is lending credence to what the world already knows about President Tinubu as a man who spots goldmines where many see landmines. Upon her appointment, the new CG affirmed her resolve to strengthen policies aimed at preventing irregular migration and safeguarding the lives of citizens while highlighting the importance of fostering positive bilateral relations and tightening border security to enhance national security.

“Our focus will be on fostering unity, driving growth, and advancing development. We are steadfast in our resolve to strengthen policies to prevent irregular migration, safeguard the lives of our citizens, and foster positive bilateral relations. We will tighten our border and security will be a key objective to reduce the porosity of our borders and enhance the overall national security of our nation because a safe border is a safe nation,” CG Nandap stated.

With a deft combination of courage and conviction in her vision, Nandap is steadily rejuvenating and repositioning the service. Almost one year later, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the supervising minister of the NIS, said significant progress had been made in border security, specifically mentioning the completion of the first phase of the e-border solution, which covers 40 percent of Nigeria’s borders. He added that new vehicles and e-gates were also deployed to ensure effective border control critical to maintaining a secure nation.

Nandap’s administration has introduced e-response channels for faster, seamless, and real-time engagements with Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora while strengthening international partnerships, adopting cutting-edge technologies, and enhancing operational capacity in border security and migration management.

Under Nandap’s leadership, 137 human trafficking victims were rescued, and 42 migrant smuggling operations were disrupted. Recently, a series of coordinated operations across three states resulted in the arrest of 155 foreigners for cybercrimes and unauthorised entry into the country.

They have since been deported to their various countries in alignment with the government’s efforts to improve border security and protect citizens from illegal activities. Nandap’s catalogue of achievements includes the clearing of over 200,000 passports backlog and the successful conclusion of the Modernising the Nigeria Immigration Service Workforce (MoNIS) Project, which is supported by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the Government of Denmark.

She said introducing these policies underscores the NIS’s commitment to strengthening its workforce, ensuring equitable career advancement, and fostering an inclusive environment for all officers. By addressing critical issues such as professional development and gender equality, the NIS, she added, aims to enhance operational efficiency, promote diversity, and better serve the nation.

While it is not yet Uhuru, there is a consensus that Nigeria now has a more efficient and competent electronic border security architecture to secure the country effectively. Within the year under review, Nandap’s leadership acumen was acknowledged on the continent with her emergence as the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Heads of Immigration. Indeed, in a universe that has not always made space for women, Nandap, born on June 3, 1966, in Zaria, Kaduna State, has fearlessly taken up a conspicuous space for herself.

A self-driven public servant who comes across as an enviable Amazon and achiever in an area and era where everyone seems to understate the role and worth of a driven woman, those who know Nandap say she exemplifies a modern yet, timeless construct of femininity that manifests as a blend of relentless and noble pursuits. She is one of those rare people who see a vision and immediately understand its power by summoning all her energy, impact, and unstoppable drive to make things happen. Gradually, she is redefining what is possible for women in public service.

Tayo Williams is a Lagos-based media executive