Abuja – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in coordination with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT and the United Nations Countering Terrorist Travel Programme, (CT Travel) facilitated a two-day consultation with the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGoN) as part of activities towards the establishment of a national Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) system that will support the identification, detection, and interception of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs)  and criminals. 

On July 19, IOM, its partners, stakeholders, and government officials converged in Abuja for a consultation meeting to provide project updates within the “Enhancing Air Data Systems in Nigeria Project” funded by the Government of Denmark and other Immigration & Border Management (IBM) projects for enhancing FGoN capacity in managing migration and controlling its borders. The meeting complements efforts aimed at providing legislative and technical support to the national authorities in Nigeria to implement an API and PNR system.  Participants reviewed four pillars of implementation - legal, technical, operational and transport engagement. 

An API system is an electronic system through which biographic data from a traveller’s passport and flight details are collected by airlines and transmitted to the relevant national authorities at the border before the departure or arrival of a specific flight. By checking the data against law enforcement watch lists, such as those of INTERPOL, border officials can know in advance whether FTFs or other suspicious individuals are attempting to enter their country.

“IOM’s interventions contribute to the Federal Government of Nigeria’s efforts in effectively managing cross-border flows and promote safe, orderly and regular Migration, said Maysa Khalil IBM Programme Manager. IOM will continue its effort, in coordination with other UN agencies, to support in enhancing border security and travel facilitation through a centralized data architecture with the MIDAS platform and inter‐agency cooperation”. she added. 

In 2020, the API steering committee was established with participation of seven agencies. In addition to the technical operational and legal working groups that were created to support the activities of the Project, a draft API law was endorsed by the Steering Committee members, and presented to Federal Ministry of Justice. 

“The full deployment of API and PNR tools in our national Border security efforts will not only improve passenger facilitation but will also help in checking irregular and suspicious movement across our frontiers” noted the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Services Mr. Isah Jere.

“Organizing this meeting at this time when the issues of terrorism and facilitation is topical in the industry is quite commendable as participants would deliberate and come up with practical recommendations that will complement ongoing efforts by government”, said Captain Musa Nuhu Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Representatives from all agencies involved in passenger processing in Nigeria took part in the event, as well as implementing partners of different UN agencies, together with human rights agencies.

The CT Travel Programme follows an ‘’All-of-UN’’ approach to provide a comprehensive, and tailored assistance to beneficiary Member States, with the support of its five implementing partners, the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations Office of Information and Communication Technology (UNOICT), and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), and in close cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

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For more information, please contact Mariam Owoeye at IOM Nigeria, Email: mowoeye@iom.int