Nigerian Immigration: Ranks, and Structure and Salary

January 23, 2020 Abiodun Adewusi

Everyone knows the Nigerian Immigration Service as an important government agency However, few people have ideas about its structure and ranks. It’s even common to find posts on social media asking for the salaries paid to its officers.

If you are curious about the activities and salary structure of the Nigerian Immigration Service, you can read through this article. In this post, you will also discover the various ranks of the organization.

Nigerian Immigration Service: History and Duties

Originally, the Nigerian Immigration Service was part of the Nigerian Police Force, however, it became a separate unit – the Immigration Department- in 1958. During this period, the Chief Federal Immigration Officer controlled the affairs of this agency.

The Immigration Department was officially recognized in 1963 via an Act of Parliament Cap l71. Furthermore, the Head of the Department became the Director of Immigration. while the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs handled its operations. Twenty-five years later, it controlled the issuance of travel documents.

In the 90s, the agency saw several changes which led to the swap of the “Director of Immigration” tag to the Comptroller General of Immigration Service. Since the NIS had become a paramilitary organization, the Nigerian Government decided to effect this change.

Within a short time, the service introduced the use of ICT to its operations. For instance, it launched the use of Machine-Readable Passport in 1998 while Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) in became vital documents in 2001. Today, the NIS even accepts payments via e channels.

The NIS stands as an organization that can handle issues related to modern migration. It aims to provide adequate security at the nation’s borders with departments such as the African Affairs division, Border Patrol Management, and Alien Control.

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Nigerian Immigration Service: Ranks

Like most para-military organizations, the NIS has officers with different positions. These ranks include the following

Comptroller General Immigration Service (CGIS)
Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGI)
Assistant Comptrollers (AC)
Superintendent of Immigration
Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI)
Senior Inspector of Immigration (SII)
Assistant Inspector of Immigration (AII)
Immigration Assistant (IA)
Passport Officers

Nigerian Immigration Service: Structure

Every organization has various departments that performs different operations. Now let me show you the several divisions of the NIS.

Human Resource Management

This branch deals with the recruitment and promotions of NIS staff. It also oversees issues concerning staff training and welfare.

Other roles of this office include –

Providing an updated Nominal Roll
Overseeing the biometric registration of the NIS workforce.
Ensuring enhanced welfare of officers.
Offering recommendations for cases of discipline.
Ensuring a proper working environment by providing excellent administrative support.

Planning, Research & Statistics

The roles of this division include:

Preparing research and offer strategies that will enhance NIS operations.
Studying vital data and offer estimates and recommendations.
Oversees the management of ICT facilities of the NIS.

Works & Procurement

Under this unit, its personnel perform functions such as –

Maintaining NIS infrastructure
Handling the award of contracts and ensures the practice meets the requirements of the Procurement Act.
Supervision of projects.
Provision of supply and logistics required by the agency.

Finance & Accounts Directorate

All of the financial transactions of the agency falls under this department. Here, the personnel have to perform tasks like

Budgeting control within the NIS
Payment of salaries, allowances, and benefits of NIS staff.
Supervision of financial transactions of the service.
Filing records of NIS revenue
Establishing the proper allocation of resources within the organization.

Investigation, Inspectorate & Enforcement Directorate

Here, members of the NIS workforce will have to

Investigate crimes concerned with the Immigration Act 2015 and similar laws
Prepare Eligibility briefs on foreigners seeking Nigerian citizenship
Prepare Status Reports for expatriates.
Enforce Deportation and Reparation Orders.
Cut cases of human trafficking
Profile NIS officers of all cadres
Carry out surveillance on areas of interest such as companies and hotels
Manage the Suspect Index
Oversee the screening of migrants.

Operations & Passports

This division oversees issues concerning travel documents such as passports, visas and entry permits. Other roles of this office include

Issuance of immigration facilities
Implementation of the latest Visa Policy
Verification/Cancellation of passports
Provision and distribution of an updated watch list
Maintaining a list of Nigerian that have renounced their citizenship
Carrying out the objectives of various agreements between the Nigerian and other governments.

Nigeria Immigration Service: Salary

Passport officers earn about N30,000 a month. However, they might receive additional allowances which could lead to about N400,000 per annum. On the average, a high ranking immigration officer earns about a yearly salary of around 2 million Naira.

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