President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria is making progress to reverse the United States suspension of the issuance of “immigrant visas” to Nigerian passport holders.

The President said this on Thursday when he received the report of the committee on Citizen Data Management and Harmonisation, chaired by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

President Buhari expressed delight that two out of the six areas of concern raised by the United States had been fully addressed.

The committee was set up in February this year to address issues that led to the U.S temporary visa restrictions on Nigerian passport holders.

The suspension, which came into effect on Feb. 21, 2020, does not apply to other U.S visas such as those for official, business, tourism and student travel.

While commending the committee for its patriotic diligence in carrying out the assignment, the President assured Nigerians and the international community of the timely implementation of the committee’s recommendations after due consideration.

“I also note the progress made by Nigeria towards the removal of the visa restrictions as two out of the six areas of concern raised by the United States had been fully addressed.

“Two are substantially satisfied while some progress is being made on the remaining two.

“I am delighted that this progress, especially the uploading of Lost and Stolen Passport and Travel Documents, has been acknowledged by the United States Government.

“I further note with keen interest the recommendations for the setting up of a National Criminal Information Management System fashioned after the INTERPOL model and a National Criminal DNA laboratory as this would aide criminal investigation, administration of criminal justice as well as sharing of relevant information.”

The committee had, among other things, recommended the establishment of a National Criminal Information Management, fashioned after the INTERPOL model and a National Criminal DNA Laboratory to aid criminal investigation, administration of criminal justice as well as sharing of relevant information.

President Buhari noted that the implementation of these and other far-reaching recommendations as articulated in the Report would fully address all outstanding issues that led to the visa restrictions.

“An effective Citizen Data Management System is critical for socio-economic planning, improved service delivery and good governance as well as national and global security.

“It also has the over-arching benefit of enhancing integrity of the nation’s citizens’ identity instruments for the purpose of information sharing.

“Accordingly, the Committee’s recommendations on the strategies for harmonising existing databases, improving the infrastructure for the National Identity Database as well as a review of the supervisory mechanism of the National Identity Management Commission would be given serious consideration.

“The implementation of the recommendations, as estimated by the Committee, would require enormous resources.

“In this regard, an Implementation Committee would be constituted to further study the recommendations and develop a workable implementation plan.”

President Buhari also pledged government’s commitment to sustain the follow-up for the removal of the visa restrictions by the United States and to develop a credible harmonised National Identity Data Management System.

He recalled that the Federal Government’s response to the temporary visa restrictions, placed on Nigerian citizens by the United States in January this year, led to the setting up of the Committee to review the restrictions and develop systems and processes that would address the security concerns raised.

“In consideration of the fact that the concerns raised cast doubts on the credibility of the  nation’s citizen identity data management system, the scope of the Committee’s assignment was expanded to include strategies to harmonise the various citizen identity data held by different Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

“I have gone through the highlights of the Report and must commend the Chairman and members of the Committee for painstakingly carrying out the assignment in spite of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The recommendations, as highlighted, are capable of addressing the concerns raised by the US Government as well as lead to the development of a reliable national citizen identity data management system,” President Buhari said.

In his remarks, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Committee recalled that the body was set up on the 3rd of February, 2020 to, among others, review the visa restrictions imposed by the U.S.

Aregbesola said the committee was also to develop systems and processes to address the security concerns raised.

Another mandate, the minister said, was to review the status of Nigeria’s numerous citizen identification data, including biometrics, held by different MDAs, and propose strategies for proper harmonisation.

The minister said that Nigeria had fully satisfied two of the six areas of concern raised by the U.S, two others substantially satisfied and progress was being made on the remaining two.

“It is our hope that the findings, strategies and implementation plans proffered, if fully implemented, will expedite the lifting of the visa restrictions while bequeathing to the nation an enduring identity management system,” Aregbesola said.