Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced Nigeria’s enrollment in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s, (ICAO) Public Key Directory, PKD, and Public Key Infrastructure, PKI.
This move, according to the Minister, is aimed at enhancing the global ranking of the country’s international passport, ease of passage as well as beefing up internal security.
The Minister, who is in Montreal, Canada, alongside the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nanna Nandap; participated in the Import Ceremony of the Country Signing Certificate Authority, CSCA, led by ICAO officials.
The Minister, who spoke shortly after the event, noted that the development was informed by the government’s efforts to modernize border control systems.
Tunji-Ojo said: “Our government is particular about increasing efficiency and enhancing the overall travel experience for Nigerians and international visitors alike.
“With our effort on Border Governance and Management, Nigerians can be assured that the era of endless wait and manual verification at airports across the globe is over. The President is constantly seeking means to enable growth and develop the country. The PKI/PKD is another measure to increase our global ranking and ease of doing business.
“While we strongly believe this will impact the tourism ecosystem, it will also play a critical role in facilitating inter-agency collaboration, especially between the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and the leading implementation agency, the Nigeria Immigration Service.”
Secretary General of ICAO, Juan Carlos Salazar, noted that the Public Key Directory enables the sharing of authentic travel documents among member states across the world.
Speaking on the readiness of the service, Comptroller General of the NIS, Mrs Nandap said: “The PKD/PKI will be a game changer for us, and we can’t wait to see it transform the face of things. In partnership with IATA, we are currently training our staff so that they understand the full modules of the new technology of API/PNR.”
