Expatriates to pay $15 daily fine for visa overstay – FG

The federal government has warned expatriates against violating Nigeria’s immigration laws, particularly regarding visa overstays. 

It said defaulters will now face a daily fine of $15, alongside a possible long-term entry ban.

The Minister of Interior, Mr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this over the weekend during a stakeholder engagement with members of the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria at the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) House in Ikeja, Lagos.

He announced that effective August 1, 2025, any foreign national who overstays their visa in Nigeria will be required to pay a $15 daily fine.

He also said more serious overstays would attract stiffer penalties, explaining that an expatriate who overstays by more than six months will be banned from re-entering Nigeria for five years, while a one-year overstay will result in a 10-year entry ban.

According to the minister, these measures are part of a broader initiative under the Expatriate Administration System, set to launch on May 1, 2025.

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The system aims to tighten immigration compliance and improve the accuracy of data on foreign residents in the country.

He said current estimates place the number of expatriates working and residing in Nigeria at over 50,000, a figure he described as unreliable for effective planning and policymaking.

As part of the transition to the new system, a three-month grace period will begin on May 1, 2025, allowing expatriates to regularise their immigration status before enforcement begins in August.

The e-visa system, Tunji-Ojo added, will replace the visa-on-arrival process, allowing legitimate tourists and business travellers to obtain Nigerian visas within 48 hours. This reform is expected to curb abuse and streamline entry procedures.

Tinubu, Gov Yusuf asked to resolve Kano Emirate crisis

A group, One Kano Agenda(OKA), has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Abba Yusuf to facilitate peaceful dialogue among the stakeholders to resolve the current Emirship crisis in Kano.

The Director-General of the group, Amb. Abbas Abdullahi, who made the call while addressing a press conference at the NUJ press centre, Kano, on Sunday, also urged Northern Elders to encourage peaceful dialogue over the matter.

“We respectfully appeal to His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and His Excellency the Governor of Kano State and the respected elders of Arewa to take a proactive role in encouraging peaceful dialogue among all relevant stakeholders.

“National peace begins with local harmony and the restoration of calm in Kano is a matter of national interest.

“A prompt non partisan mediation effort will go a long way in maintaining mutual respect between state and federal institutions and protecting our traditional values,” Abdullahi said.

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The group also called for peace and unity among residents of the state in the wake of the Emirship tussle.

It emphasized the need for all stakeholders “to put Kano first and avoid divisions that could harm the state’s social fabric.

“We are gathered here because we believe that Kano must come first before political differences, personal ambitions or any divisive agenda.

“Recent developments around the Emirate issue have stirred tensions, sparked public debates and regrettably fueled discord among our people.

“While discussions on matters of history and tradition are important, we must be careful not to allow misinformation or political manipulation to erode the unity we have built over generations,” it said.

The group warned against any attempt to politicize the Emirate issue and emphasized the importance of respecting the state’s traditional institution.

It urged all stakeholders, including youth, civil society groups, and religious leaders “to rise above divisions and work towards peace and unity.”

Tinubu, Gov Yusuf asked to resolve Kano Emirate crisis

JUST IN: Two rescued in Lagos building collapse

Two persons have been rescued after a three-storey building collapsed in Lagos Island.

The building said to be under construction, caved in Sunday afternoon at 4, Agarawu Street, Lagos Island.

The victims were said to have been trapped when the building collapsed and were only extricated from the rubble by emergency workers who rushed them to the hospital.

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Confirming the incident, the Lagos Police Command said no life was lost.

Spokesman, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the site had been cordoned off by responders, adding that there was calm in the neighbourhood.

He said the relevant agencies would probe the cause of the collapse.

JUST IN: Two rescued in Lagos building collapse