The Federal Government has announced the official joining of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Public Key Directory (PKD), and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).
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The move, according to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Tunji-Ojo, will place Nigeria among countries with some of the highest global rankings in terms of international passports providing ease of passage for holders as well as beefing up internal security.

In a communique made public by the Special Adviser to the minister on Media, Babatunde Alao, the minister who accompanied the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nandap to Montreal, Canada for the  Country Signing Certificate Authority (CSCA) led by ICAO officials, said he is confident Nigeria’s ranking will improve.

“Our government is particular about increasing efficiency and enhancing the overall travel experience for Nigerians and international visitors alike,” Tunji-Ojo said.

“With our effort on Border Governance and Management, Nigerians can be assured that the era of endless wait and manual verification at airports across the globe is over. The President is constantly seeking means to enable growth and develop the country.”

He explained further, “that the PKI / PKD is another measure to increase our global ranking and ease of doing business.”

According to him, this also provides Nigeria a platform to positively impact the tourism sector ecosystem, facilitating inter-agency collaboration between the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and NIS.
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Tunji-Ojo however stressed that national and international collaboration was vital and required multiple authorities to play their part in the process of authentication of passport and travel document data.

On her part, the NIS boss said Nigeria has the necessary infrastructure to drive the new technology even as full implementation begins.

She said “The PKD/PKI will be a game changer for us, and we can’t wait to see it transform the face of things. In partnership with IATA, we are currently training our staff so that they understand the full modules of the new technology of API/PNR.”

Managed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the PKD allows countries to check the authenticity of e-passports and other travel documents when travellers cross borders.

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a system that uses digital certificates and public-private key pairs to ensure secure communication, data integrity, and authentication of documents.
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