The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced the full completion of the installation of electronic gates (E-Gates) at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja’s Federal Capital Territory.
Tunji-Ojo revealed this during an interview on the “Unfiltered: The Big Interview” program with O’tega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu, as shown on the official YouTube page of the State House of Nigeria over the weekend.
He highlighted that this significant initiative, aimed at streamlining passenger processing, enhancing security measures, and improving overall airport efficiency, will be officially commissioned by President Bola Tinubu shortly and will soon be accessible to the general public.
“If you get to the Abuja International Airport now, you will see that the E-Gate is 100% complete. Not 99.9%, ready for commissioning by His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu,” the Interior Minister stated.
Tunji-Ojo revealed that the eight newly installed E-Gates at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja will significantly reduce human interaction between immigration authorities and incoming Nigerians.
These E-Gates will expedite the clearance process for Nigerian passport holders, allowing them to simply stamp their passports and, if everything is in order, clear immigration in less than 30 seconds, thereby streamlining the entry process and enhancing overall efficiency at the airport.
He further revealed that while the E-Gates enhance the ease of travel for Nigerian passport holders entering the country, they also bolster national security, creating a win-win situation.
Updates of E-Gates deployment in other international airports
The Interior Minister further disclosed that the deployment of the E-Gates is not just for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja alone but for all the international airports in the country, including those in Lagos, Enugu, Kano, and Port Harcourt.
- For the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Tunji-Ojo disclosed that 21 electronic gates will be installed due to the traffic volume, stating that some E-Gates have already been installed in some terminals of the international airport in Lagos State.
“The installation of E-Gates at Terminal 2 in the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos is 100% ready. By the weekend, Terminal D will be 100% complete. Terminal E is still undergoing renovation because of the fire incident, and immediately after that is done, we will go live in Lagos,” the Minister explained.
- Regarding the other international airports in Kano, Enugu, and Rivers States, Tunji-Ojo stated that the Federal Government will install four electronic gates at each of these airports. This will ensure that Nigerians entering the country through any of these airports will experience expedited entry without the need to queue for an immigration officer, while simultaneously enhancing national security.
Based on what the Interior Minister revealed during the interview, with eight E-Gates at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, 21 slated for the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, and four each at the international airports in Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt, a total of 41 E-Gates will be deployed across the five international airports in the country once all installations are complete.
