The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has trained 87 officers on its Border Control and Immigration Management System (BCIMS), as the government advances plans to use artificial intelligence-assisted monitoring and digital audit trails to strengthen border security and track officers’ activities.
The training concluded at the NIS headquarters in Abuja on Friday, October 16, 2026. Comptroller-General of Immigration Kemi Nandap said the integration of BCIMS with the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) had enabled the service to consolidate more than 15 million migration records, according to Voice of Nigeria.
The AI-assisted tools are intended to identify suspicious patterns in migration data and flag cases for further investigation. Nandap stressed that automated alerts should not replace professional judgement or independent verification.
The initiative also introduces greater scrutiny of immigration officers’ actions within the digital system. Nandap warned personnel against sharing login credentials, accessing records without authorisation, manipulating information or using the platform to facilitate improper passage. System activity can be reviewed, and alleged abuse may be investigated and sanctioned.
The service is also deploying secure mobile devices intended to extend verification beyond fixed computer terminals. The available announcement did not specify how many devices had been distributed, which border locations were using them or whether the AI-assisted functions were operational nationwide.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the reforms form part of a broader effort to connect information systems across agencies under the Ministry of Interior. The wider programme aims to improve information sharing and reduce inconsistencies between government records.
Nigeria’s digital border-management infrastructure predates the latest announcement. The International Organization for Migration has documented the use of MIDAS for electronic and biometric traveller registration, as well as the exchange of migration information between border locations and NIS headquarters.
