Police, Hotel Operators, NURTW, Others Unveil Digital Manifest (NTEM) System for Safety, Security of Hospitality and Travels Across Nigeria
By Trek Africa Newspaper
The Nigeria Police Force has introduced the National Transit E-Manifest (NTEM) to digitize passengers and hospitality records and strengthen intelligence-led policing. The system was unveiled on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at a stakeholders’ engagement held at the Police Officers Mess, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos. The meeting drew participants from across the hospitality sector in Lagos, including hotel operators and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
Addressing stakeholders, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Fatai Tijani who represented the Inspector General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu at the engagement meeting reiterated that the fundamental responsibility of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies is to protect lives and property and ensure citizens can go about their lawful activities without fear. He, however, noted that the evolving nature of crime demands a constant review of security strategies and adoption of more effective preventive approaches. “From one-chance robbery and highway attacks to kidnapping, human trafficking and other forms of organized criminality, offenders continue to exploit weaknesses in our security systems to evade detection,” CP Tijani said. He explained that these challenges underscore the need for timely intelligence, effective information sharing and deployment of technology.
According to him, the NTEM initiative is designed to improve the management of passengers records and hospitality guests information through a coordinated digital system that supports security operations, strengthens accountability and enhances response to emerging threats. “The NTEM initiative is not merely a technological advancement; it represents a practical step towards strengthening intelligence-led policing. By improving access to reliable information, the system is intended to assist security agencies in identifying suspicious movements, tracing suspects, supporting investigations and protecting innocent citizens,” he said.
The Police chief lamented that criminal networks often exploit human mobility and temporary accommodation to conceal their identities, taking advantage of inadequate passenger manifests and poorly maintained hotel registers. He pointed out that in Lagos, road transport operations still largely rely on handwritten manifests that are difficult to verify, retrieve or authenticate, while some hotels and guest houses lack digital capacity to maintain accurate records. “A coordinated electronic record system can help address these challenges by improving the quality, accessibility and traceability of relevant information, subject to established legal procedures and appropriate safeguards,” he said.
CP Tijani emphasized that the deployment of technology for security purposes must be supported by a clear legal framework and appropriate safeguards.
Mr. Nelson Omanibe, Consultant to the Nigeria Police Force on the NTEM System, who introduced the platform, said it was designed to ease compliance with government directives requiring hotels and transport operators to submit guest and passenger manifests. According to him, the current manual system is fraught with challenges, including inaccurate data, delayed submission and poor transmission channels.
Omanibe noted that under the manual arrangement, a guest who checks in at 8 a.m. could check out before the 12 noon submission time, meaning the police may never receive timely information about such a guest.
Speaking further, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Travis Mobile Limited, Mr. Jonah Ukoh, explained that the NTEM is modeled after systems used in developed countries and represents Nigeria’s push towards full digitalization of critical data. “Nigeria as a developing country is getting to that level where everything we do has to be digitalized. Collection of database is very important in developing a nation because this database works multi-dimensionally,” Ukoh said.
He added that the system would significantly improve national security. “Security-wise, which is the most important aspect, this system will go a long way to ensure that we have a better security system for all of us,” he stated.
The National Transit E-Manifest Technology System, developed in collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and industry stakeholders, provides a digital framework for transport operators, motor park managers, hospitality businesses and authorized security agencies. The platform integrates identity verification, including the use of the National Identification Number (NIN), with passenger manifest and hotel check-in processes to improve the reliability of records. When properly implemented and lawfully accessed, the information will aid crime prevention, intelligence gathering, suspect identification and timely investigation of security incidents.
