I visited the Nigerian consulate in NYC today to get a new passport, and to my surprise it was a rare experience in efficiency.

I would rate the overall experience a B+.  It could easily have been an a A+, but lack of directions and instructions led to the overall B+ rating.

Things needed to process the passport, confirmation of payment, copy of biometric data page, $20 money order and a completed form.    Unfortunately, if you not have these things you will have to go across the street to print out the necessary forms and make copies.  Which begs the question, why they don't put all this information on the website.

After getting your information reviewed, it is stamped and you are directed to the 12th floor for further processing.  There is no sign telling you which rooms to go into and you find yourself at the mercy of fellow Nigerians waiting to get their passports processed.  Your photo will be taken and your fingerprints will be scanned.   The entire process took about an hour and thirty minutes and is quite efficient.

I finished around lunch and to my surprise, I discovered that there is a Nigerian restaurant on the ground floor of the consulate.  It was quite refreshing to see Nigerian food in the restaurant,; Amala, Ogbono, Jollof rice, Fried Rice, Fried Fish and pounded yam.  Speaking with employees of the consulate, I was informed that the current Consular General has implemented a number of reforms and the restaurant was his idea.  The line to place your order was quite long and I noticed that most of the people on the line were from the UN office around the corner and from other foreign missions.  They said the Nigerian consulate is the only African consulate with an ethic restaurant on its premises.

I would like to give kudos to the Nigerian Consular General Anwal Ibrahim and his staff for the wonderful job they are doing.

If its not good, you all talk- if it is good, you still talk - Naija rotten mentality - you are too used to bad things so much more that anything ordinary becomes new to you.

That's good, I'm happy that you had a good experience there. The restaurant sounds really interesting!!