By Josephine Agbonkhese

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has condemned the act of hiring foreigners to take up job roles which could have been done by Nigerians, saying the act has greatly affected the development of the Nigerian youths and their potentials.

He spoke while addressing members of the Organised Private Sectors and other stakeholders on the various reforms being introduced by the Ministry in the Nigeria Immigration Service, at NECA House, Friday, in Lagos.

The Minister vented his anger over the incessant request by companies operating in Nigeria for expatriate quota to work for them in Nigeria rather than employing the ever-ready and capable Nigerian youths.

According to him, the most embarrassing is when those employers request for foreign drivers, waitresses and others “as if those foreigners know the Nigerian roads more than the Nigerian youths living in the country.”

Tunji-Ojo emphasised that with the reforms going on in the Ministry and in the Nigerian Immigration Service termed Expatriate Administration System, EAS, request for expatriate quota for those jobs that could be done by the locals would no more be granted.

This, according to him, will not only help in the development of the youths’ potentials but also develop the country’s economy.

With its large population with about 70% under 30 years of age, the Minister stated that country has the potentials and the local experts who are ready to work for the development of their country rather than importing expatriates.

He said it is a pity that unlike other populous countries, despite being the largest population, Nigeria is still not the largest economy in Africa; insisting that something is wrong which has to be corrected through the new reforms.

Meanwhile, with the new policies, which will take off on May 1, 2025, the Minister warned that any expatriates who overstays their visa will be appropriately sanctioned.

While some who overstay for three months may be asked to pay penalty, Ojo insisted that expatriates who overstay their visa for a year from coming to Nigeria will be banned from coming to the country for 10 years while those who overstay for six months may be banned for five years.

In the new reforms, the minister explained that they are introducing electronic Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card, e-CERPAC, a document in Nigeria that grants foreign nationals the legal right to reside and work in the country. This is essentially a work and residence permit for expatriates.

He said expatriates will no longer have to stress or lobby for the document as they will have to fill the forms online and get the documents in their mails.

Other reforms including the introduction of understudy process, Expatriate Comprehensive Insurance to be paid along with CERPAC, e-visa to guarantee visa within 48 hours, without lobbying from anybody, as well as reformation of Landing and Exit Card, all under the new Expatriate Administration System, EAS.

The e-visa, according to the Minister, will replace visa on arrival, saying they are working to make sure people no longer lobby to get visa on arrival which the Ministry plans to phase out, adding that the introduction of landing and exit cards will help in term of data administration.