Nigeria, Feb. 1 -- Nigeria's Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has commenced a process to introduce private agents for the processes of applications for relevant immigration documents such as citizenship and residency permits, business permits and formation of statutory marriages, among others.

This is contained in a fresh advertorial published on page three of the Tenders Journal of 23 January, and signed by the ministry's Permanent Secretary, Shuaibu Belgore.

The new process, when approved, would empower the private agents to impose service charges on applicants, and that personal applications may no longer be processed.

But this new move by the Minister is against the act establishing the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) which...