A nominal roll obtained by SaharaReporters lists the names and service details of officers scheduled to retire this year, including their service numbers, dates of birth, dates of first appointment, current ranks, qualifications, and retirement dates. The document reveals that Comptroller-General Kemi Nanna Nandap, along with approximately 950 officers, is set to retire in 2026. Nandap's entry on the list gives her retirement date as October 10, 2026.
The inclusion of Nandap on the retirement list has raised concerns among some officers over the succession process and the retirement of senior personnel while she remains in office following a presidential extension of her tenure. A source close to the matter revealed that Nandap had originally been expected to retire before her appointment as Comptroller-General and subsequently received an extension from President Bola Tinubu. The source added that her current elongation expires soon.
President Tinubu extended Nandap's tenure as Comptroller-General of Immigration until December 31, 2026, with the Presidency citing improvements in border management, modernisation of immigration processes, and national security measures. However, her entry on the retirement list gives October 10, 2026, as her retirement date, creating a discrepancy between the date recorded in the nominal roll and the December 31, 2026, end date announced by the Presidency.
The nominal roll includes two Deputy Comptrollers-General and six Assistant Comptrollers-General, alongside hundreds of officers in other cadres. The list also records large numbers of officers in middle-ranking positions, including Assistant Comptrollers, Chief Superintendents, and Superintendents. The concentration of retirement dates among senior officers has heightened concerns about succession planning and the availability of experienced personnel to fill leadership positions.
Some officers who spoke to SaharaReporters expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as inadequate improvements in staff welfare, professional development, and recognition for outstanding performance. They alleged that opportunities for foreign training and other forms of professional development had not improved sufficiently, despite increases in fees charged for immigration services.
The officers also pointed to increases in passport fees and charges for the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) as examples of revenue growth that they said had not translated into commensurate improvements in staff welfare and career progression. They argued that the continued retirement of senior personnel, combined with limited opportunities for advancement, could affect morale within the agency.
The impending retirement of senior personnel has significant implications for the Nigeria Immigration Service, particularly in terms of leadership succession and career progression. With only two of the Service's 10 DCGs remaining in active service, the agency faces a significant challenge in ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining its strategic priorities.
Key points
- Comptroller-General Kemi Nanna Nandap and approximately 950 officers are listed for retirement in 2026.
- The retirement of senior personnel has raised concerns over leadership succession and staff welfare within the Nigeria Immigration Service.
- Discrepancies exist between the retirement date recorded in the nominal roll and the presidential extension announced for Nandap's tenure.
