Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Repatriation and Departure Service (R&DS) of the Ministry of Justice and Security of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have strengthened their longstanding partnership by donating specialised equipment to enhance the operations of the NIS Hostmanship Unit.
The equipment was presented at the Nigeria Immigration Service Headquarters in Abuja on Monday, reinforcing the commitment of both institutions to institutional capacity building, improved migration management, and service excellence.
Receiving the equipment on behalf of the Service, the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, described the donation as another milestone in the more than 20-year collaboration between the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
She said the equipment represents a strategic investment in professionalism, institutional excellence, and the promotion of a culture of courtesy, empathy, and quality service delivery.
According to Nandap, the donation will strengthen the Hostmanship Unit’s training capacity, improve operational efficiency, and further institutionalise the Hostmanship philosophy across the Service, in which officers are encouraged to ensure that everyone they interact with feels welcome, respected, and valued.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Abuja, Mr. Ronald Sonnemans, described the partnership with the Nigeria Immigration Service as a model of sustained international cooperation.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Netherlands to supporting initiatives that strengthen migration management and build institutional capacity within the Service.
The collaboration between the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Dutch Repatriation and Departure Service has resulted in the training of hundreds of immigration officers, the establishment of a dedicated Hostmanship Unit, and continuous capacity-building under the European Union-funded Capacity Building and Relationship Management (CBR) Project.
The latest donation is expected to further advance innovation, knowledge sharing, and strategic cooperation between both institutions while promoting service delivery that inspires public confidence and trust.
In a statement signed by the Service Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, DCI Akinsola Akinlabi, the Service expressed appreciation to the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, particularly the Repatriation and Departure Service, for its sustained support and confidence in the Service’s ongoing reform agenda.
The statement added that the Nigeria Immigration Service remains committed to the judicious use of the donated equipment and to upholding the ideals of Hostmanship in delivering efficient, people-centred immigration services.
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