The Ministry of Interior is a
Federal organ which evolved from the Ministry of Internal Affairs which was
created in 1957. The Ministry’s mandate is fostering and ensuring the
maintenance of internal security and citizenship integrity for the promotion of
good governance of the nation. It has statutory responsibility for the
formulation and implementation of policies and programmes on the following:
i. Registration of voluntary organisations

ii. Issuance of expatriate quota
allocation

iii. Permit for foreign
participation in business


iv. Granting of Nigerian
citizenship
v. Seamen’s identity
card/certificate
vi. National Day Celebration
vii. National Flag and National
Coat of Arms
viii. Coordination of all issues
of the Nigeria Prisons Service
ix. Coordination of all issues of
the Nigeria Immigrations Service; issues relating to immigration and visa;
passport and travel documents; movements of aliens in the country and
repatriation of aliens; x. Coordination of all issues relating to the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps; and
xi. Coordination of all issues
relating to the Federal Fire Service.

The Ministry of Interior also conducts
Nigeria’s Internal Policy and International Relations, and other duties related
to foreign countries and Nigerians abroad.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HONOURABLE MINISTERS

The Federal Executive Council
meeting (EC 18 (07) 4) of May 2007 approved the Responsibilities of the
Honourable Minister and Honourable Minister of State as detailed out below.

i) Providing political leadership
to the Ministry in line with Government objectives towards the attainment of
its goals;

ii) Providing overall guidance in
the formulation and implementation of policies necessary for the realization of
the mandate of the Ministry;

iii) Presiding over the Civil
Defence, Immigration and Prisons Services Board to provide oversight and
coordinate the activities of other relevant security/safety organs to ensure
that they are in harmony and supportive of the Ministry’s overall mandate;

iv) Providing oversight for the
Customs, Immigration and Prisons Services Pension Scheme to ensure full
compliance with all statutory rules and regulations and the provision of
quality service as intended for the beneficiaries;

v) Ratifying the decision of the
Ministerial Tenders Board to ensure full compliance with statutory rules and
regulations;

vi) Providing oversight for the
following agencies/responsibilities:
a) Nigerian Security and Civil
Defence Corps
b) Nigeria Immigration Service
c) Citizenship Matters
d) Repatriation and Deportation
e) Immigration and Emigration
f) Passport and other travel
documents
g) Consular and Visa matters
h) Registration and the movement
of Aliens in Nigeria
i) Expatriate Quota Matters
j) Permit for foreign
participation in business
k) Matters relating to the civil
Defence, Immigration and Prisons Services Board; and
l) Matters relating to Customs,
Immigration and Prisons Pension Office;
m) Ensuring the implementation of
Treaties; and
n) Initialing and presenting
Memoranda at the Federal Executive Council.

For more information on the
Ministry of Interior, contact the following details:

Block F, Old Federal Secretariat, Area 1, P.M.B. 7007,
Garki, Abuja

Phone : 09-6713526, Fax : 09-6713526.

 Adedunmade Onibokun Esq.

@adedunmade