FG approves N7.2bn data centre for immigration service

The Federal Government has approved a data centre to enable the Nigeria Immigration Service to store the biometric data of all passport holders in the country.

The facility, which will also serve as the command and control centre of the immigration service, will be constructed by Julius Berger Plc at the cost of N7.2bn.

Speaking during the ground-breaking ceremony of the facility at the NIS headquarters, Sauka, Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdurahman Dambazau (retd), explained that the project had been approved by the Federal Executive Council.

On how the technology project would address some of the security challenges facing the country, the minister said, “One of the major problems the country is facing is the menace of cross-border criminals trafficking in arms, drugs and humans, as well as terrorism.

“These activities are done by human beings and there are human beings across borders. So security-wise, we will be able to distinguish between the right persons and the wrong persons.

“There is going to be an interface with Interpol. Above all, we will be able to capture the data of every human being coming into the country and going out. We are also going to capture data of every Nigerian citizens and this certainly will go a long way in facilitating efficiency in terms of security of our nation.”

The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede, said the facility dubbed, ‘Technology Building,’ would reduce man-hour operation and enhance e-administration of work, real time interventions, processes and service delivery.

Source: Punch