In a bid to address abuses in the business permit process, the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has unveiled the revised edition of 2022 Handbook on Expatriate Quota Administration in Nigeria.
The Minister, while unveiling the revised handbook on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, ordered the management of the ministry and Nigeria Immigration Service to immediately upload the Nigeria visa policy on the portal of their websites for easy access across the globe.
The Minister reiterated that the review of the handbook had become necessary in view of the need for the policy to align with current realities in technology as well as acceptable norms in the conduct of businesses world over.
He revealed that the Ministry had issued 13,829 expatriate quota permits and 1,161 business permits in the period under review, adding that the revised handbook would put an end to the rot in expatriate quota administration in Nigeria.
The Minister assured that the 2022 revised handbook on expatriate quota administration contains adequate rules and regulations to prevent abuses from foreigners and locals in the business permit process, which will in turn enhance the ‘ease of doing business’ presidential directive and improve the country’s economy as enunciated in the policy thrust of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
In his welcome address the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, said the Ministry of Interior is responsible for the administration and technical enforcement of Nigeria Immigration Act, 2015 and Immigration Regulations, 2017 as it relates to the establishment of business in Nigeria, either wholly foreign owned or joint venture companies and the employment of expatriates as well as training of Nigerians on essential skills.
Expatriate quota in Nigeria is granted by the Ministry of Interior to foreign-owned or indigenous companies, to enable them employ or recruit foreign employees to legitimately work and live in the country.
