ABUJA – The Nigeria Immigration Service and the Lagos State University have partnered with the African Borderlands Research Network to deepen research, policy and security around Africa’s borderlands.
The partnership was unveiled at the 2026 annual conference of the African Borderlands Research Network, ABORNE, holding in Lagos from August 24 to 28.
The conference is themed, “The Connected Borderlands, Socio-Cultural Integration, and the Centrality of Policy, Research, and Security.”
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Senior Policy Adviser to the Minister, Dr Kareem Olakoju, said effective border governance remained critical to Nigeria’s security and migration framework.
The Service Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Immigration Service, DCI Akinsola Akinlabi, disclosed this in a statement, adding that the conference would provide a platform for stakeholders to address challenges surrounding security, movement and development in Africa’s border regions.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, said Nigeria had continued to lead efforts to modernise border management, recalling the introduction of the country’s electronic passport in 2007, followed by enhanced e-Passports, contactless biometric passport services and Automated Border Control.
CGI Nandap noted that borders should not be viewed merely as lines separating countries but as dynamic spaces where people, communities, economies and cultures interact.
She said the NIS was also strengthening intelligence sharing, cybersecurity, surveillance, command and control capabilities, capacity building and research to build safer and more resilient borderlands.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Prof Folashade Oguns0ola, said the university was committed to producing research capable of responding to the realities of Africa’s border communities.
Representing the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Sule Akibu, said the state was committed to supporting platforms that promote research, regional cooperation and practical solutions to border and migration challenges.
Chairman of the ABORNE Chiefs, Prof Paul Nugent, and renowned border scholar, Prof Anthony Asiwaju, also stressed the need to link research, policy and practice in improving the understanding and governance of Africa’s borderlands.
Asiwaju, in his keynote titled, “20 Years After CIUDAD JUAREZ: ABORNE Ship Berths in Lagos,” traced the evolution of African border studies and highlighted the significance of hosting the conference in Lagos.
The four-day conference will focus on migration, smart borders, digital identity, regional integration, policy and cross-border security, while reinforcing the NIS commitment to secure, connected and resilient border management.