By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-in-Chief, People’s Security Monitor

Nearly 950 officers and men of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), including senior personnel and Comptroller General Kemi Nanna Nandap, are listed for retirement in 2026, raising questions about leadership succession, promotion opportunities and the future composition of the Service’s top hierarchy.

The retirement schedule, which reportedly covers approximately 948 personnel across different ranks, contains details of officers’ service numbers, dates of birth, dates of first appointment, qualifications, current ranks and retirement dates.

The development presents a significant personnel management challenge for the Service, particularly as several senior officers are expected to leave their positions within the same year. It has also drawn attention to the need for a clear succession framework to sustain institutional stability and ensure that experienced personnel are available to occupy vacant leadership positions.

Nandap’s inclusion on the retirement list has generated particular interest because President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved an extension of her tenure as Comptroller General until December 31, 2026.

According to the retirement schedule, Nandap’s date of first appointment was October 10, 1989, while her recorded retirement date is October 10, 2026. She assumed office as Comptroller General on March 1, 2024.

The dates have raised questions about how the retirement entry relates to the presidential extension and whether the relevant administrative records have been updated to reflect the approved arrangement.

On March 31, 2025, the Presidency announced that Tinubu had extended Nandap’s tenure until December 31, 2026. Her initial tenure, which began on March 1, 2024, had been scheduled to end on August 31, 2025.

The announcement, issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, explained that the extension would allow the Comptroller General to continue implementing the Service’s strategic priorities.

The Presidency also highlighted her administration’s efforts in border management, modernisation of immigration procedures and strengthening of national security.

However, the retirement schedule records October 10, 2026, as her retirement date, creating a discrepancy that requires clarification from the appropriate authorities. There is also a slight difference in the recorded date of her first appointment, with the nominal roll indicating October 10, 1989, while the Presidency’s earlier statement gave October 9, 1989.

Available information does not establish whether the retirement record was subsequently amended or whether a separate administrative arrangement applies to her extended tenure.

Beyond the Comptroller General’s position, the retirement of senior officers has raised concerns about the availability of experienced personnel to manage the Service’s operations and provide leadership across its various departments and commands.

Reports from within the Service indicate that the number of serving Deputy Comptrollers General has reduced considerably following recent retirements. One account claims that only two of the 10 Deputy Comptrollers General remained in active service, while three others retired approximately two weeks before the report emerged. The figures have not been independently confirmed.

The retirement schedule reportedly identifies two Deputy Comptrollers General, Umanah Ada James and Ayeni Afolayan, as due to leave the Service in 2026. James is listed for retirement on January 31, while Afolayan’s retirement date is September 24.

Six Assistant Comptrollers General are also named in the document. They are Odikpo Ngozi, Sabo A. Rano, Halliday Azuka Mimi, Anugwa Echefulam Louis, Obianime Augusta and Bagari Dauda Mohammed. Their retirement dates reportedly fall between March and September.

The list further includes officers occupying middle management positions, among them Assistant Comptrollers, Chief Superintendents and Superintendents, reflecting the broad impact of the retirement exercise on the Service’s personnel structure.

For serving officers, the departure of senior colleagues could create opportunities for advancement, provided the relevant vacancies are filled in accordance with established regulations and promotion procedures. However, uncertainty over succession arrangements and the timing of appointments could also affect morale and career expectations.

The situation underscores the importance of systematic succession planning within the NIS. Timely appointments, transparent promotion procedures and effective transfer of institutional knowledge would help ensure that the departure of experienced personnel does not undermine operational effectiveness.

The Service plays a critical role in securing Nigeria’s borders, regulating migration, detecting immigration-related offences, combating document fraud and supporting efforts against transnational criminal networks. Maintaining a capable leadership structure is therefore essential to its national security responsibilities.

As the retirement exercise progresses, attention is likely to remain on how the Federal Government and the NIS management handle the transition, particularly at the highest levels of command.

Clarification of Nandap’s retirement record, confirmation of the current number of serving Deputy Comptrollers General and a clear indication of the succession arrangements would help address the questions surrounding the Service’s leadership structure.

Ultimately, the challenge before the NIS is to manage the retirement of nearly 950 personnel without disrupting its operations, while ensuring that leadership appointments, career progression and institutional continuity remain guided by established rules and the demands of national security.