The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in migration management and the fight against human smuggling.
The renewed commitment was highlighted on Tuesday in Abuja when the Repatriation and Departure Service (DT&V) of the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security donated training and operational equipment to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Hostmanship Unit.
The donation includes a 24KVA solar inverter system, a 20-kilowatt backup lithium battery, two 75-inch LG Smart televisions, a digital projector and screen, an HP laptop computer, an integrated sound system, two wireless microphones, four solar-powered standing fans, an outdoor wireless internet router, a whiteboard with stand, nine sun-shaped window blinds, a television stand and wall mount.
The NIS implements Hostmanship as a specialised service delivery and human dignity training programme developed in partnership with the Dutch Repatriation and Departure Service. The initiative is designed to equip immigration officers with the skills to engage members of the public with empathy, professionalism, hospitality and respect.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, described the donation as an investment in people and institutional excellence rather than a mere supply of office equipment.
She said the items reflected the shared commitment of both countries to building an immigration service where professionalism, empathy, courtesy and excellence define every interaction with the public.
According to her, although the Hostmanship Unit was recently established, it has made significant progress in promoting a guest-centred service culture through structured training programmes and the development of the Nigeria Immigration Service Guest Engagement Guidelines.
Nandap said the equipment would strengthen the unit’s capacity to deliver training and improve operational efficiency.
She expressed appreciation to the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, particularly the Repatriation and Departure Service, for its sustained support, describing the partnership as one built on trust, shared learning and a common commitment to improving migration management and public service delivery.
She assured the Dutch government that the equipment would be properly utilised and maintained.
“Let these equipment serve not merely as a resource, but as a reminder of our responsibility to ensure that every traveller and every member of the public experiences professionalism, dignity and respect whenever they engage with the Nigeria Immigration Service,” she said.
The Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Abuja, Ronnald Sonnemans, commended the growing cooperation between both countries, noting that he had witnessed the positive impact of the Hostmanship training on NIS personnel over the years.
He reaffirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to supporting Nigeria’s migration management efforts, adding that the continuation of the Mobile Team Project beyond its initial phase would further strengthen the professionalisation of Nigeria’s border management operations.
Also speaking, Senior Adviser at the Department for Agriculture and Forestry Services in the Agency of Dominions for Europe, Justice and Security in the Netherlands, Jan-Willem Keuninck, said both organisations had maintained a productive partnership for 25 years through annual working visits, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on migration and several capacity-building initiatives.
He disclosed that several NIS officers had been certified as Hostmanship trainers in the Netherlands and announced that a specialised training programme for senior NIS executives would commence in the Netherlands in September.
Earlier, the Hostmanship Coordinator of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Assistant Comptroller of Immigration Samson Thomas, described the occasion as historic, saying the donation represented not only valuable equipment but also the enduring friendship and confidence between Nigeria and the Netherlands.
He noted that the Hostmanship Unit, which was established just over a year ago, had successfully positioned hostmanship as a core value of the Service and pledged that the support would be effectively utilised to institutionalise a culture of professionalism and excellent public service across the NIS.
