Nigeria is preparing for a nationwide deportation exercise targeting illegal foreign residents and visa violators, following the expiration of the Federal Government’s three-month amnesty program on October 1, 2025.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) confirmed that enforcement will now begin against foreigners who failed to regularize their status during the amnesty period. Spokesperson Akinsola Akinlabi said offenders risk fines, deportation, or long-term entry bans, depending on the length of their overstay.
“With the amnesty period ending on October 1, enforcement actions will begin across the country against foreign nationals who have overstayed their visas or breached their entry conditions,” Akinlabi stated.
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The crackdown will cover individuals with expired visas on arrival, short-term visit or business visas, as well as those holding expired Comprehensive Expatriate Residence Permits and Automated Cards (CERPAC). According to the NIS, foreigners who have overstayed by less than three months may face deportation, a $15 daily fine, or a two-year entry ban. Those who have overstayed between three months and one year could be fined or banned for five years, while offenders exceeding one year risk a ten-year entry ban or permanent prohibition from re-entering Nigeria.
Officials stressed that the measures are not only punitive but also designed to strengthen national security and restore order in the country’s immigration system. “The Nigeria Immigration Service is dedicated to enforcing the law, safeguarding national interests, and promoting transparency and efficiency in all immigration processes,” Akinlabi said.
This mass deportation plan is expected to send shockwaves across expatriate and migrant communities in Nigeria, particularly in commercial hubs like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt where large numbers of foreigners reside. The NIS has urged affected individuals to comply voluntarily to avoid sanctions.
