There is a looming scarcity of passport booklets due to a cash crunch, it was learnt yesterday.

Service providers are owed billions, while printed booklets are stuck in warehouses over debts.

Also, bureaucratic bottlenecks over the remittance of Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS’) share of revenues from passport issuance have become a major obstacle.

The situation is threatening to derail reforms initiated by the Federal Government to ease the burden of e-passport issuance.

It was learnt that booklets have been exhausted.

The e-passport reform is faced with bureaucratic challenges, especially with the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

The TSA is said to have become inactive as officials are yet to address all stakeholder concerns regarding funds distribution challenges.

TSA refers to a public accounting system using a single account or a set of linked accounts by the government to ensure all revenue receipts and payments are done through a Consolidated Revenue Account (CRA) at the CBN.

The development has made it difficult for the NIS to access funds to offset huge debts running into billions of naira owed service providers.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had initiated reforms that led to the clearance of over 200,000 passport backlogs.

However, the current situation may result in another accumulation if not urgently addressed.

Findings by our correspondent in Gwagwalada and the Headquarters of the NIS in Abuja indicated that applicants are having a tough time obtaining the document.

There were also complaints from Alausa, Alimosho, and Ikoyi passport offices in Lagos.

Top officials of the NIS who spoke with our reporter in confidence said the Service should not be blamed for impending passport scarcity.

One of them said: “Let me give you an example.

“The cost of the 32-page passport booklet outside Nigeria is $132, while the cost of the 64-page category is $230.

“If an application is made outside Nigeria, the payment goes straight into the federal account which is shared amongst the three tiers of government.

“The NIS has no control over the money that comes in from abroad.

“The revenues from abroad form 50 per cent of the entire proceeds for passport issuance.

“For the ones paid for in Nigeria, we not only have to apply for funds before we are considered, but all services related to the printing of fresh passports and payment of other service providers in the value chain are from that 50 per cent.

“So, our application goes through many agencies of government while we keep our service providers waiting until we fulfil all righteousness before we can pay them.”

Within the past year, no fewer than 105,000 e-passport booklets have been printed.

These include 35,000 copies of the 32-page category and 70,000 copies of the 64-page.

Another source said: “At present, the 32-page category has been exhausted due to its high demand.

“This means that there is already a scarcity of passports.”

According to the source, there are 48 passport-issuing outlets outside Nigeria, with 44 in the country

The source explained that there are booklets to be delivered to the NIS by the printers, but they are stuck at Customs and courier warehouses because of huge debts.

It was learnt that Customs and DHL are among the service providers insisting on payment of their outstanding debt before the documents are released.

NIS Public Relations Officer, Dr Dotun Aridegbe, a Comptroller of Immigration, could not be reached to confirm the developments.

He did not pick up his calls and had yet to reply to text messages on his WhatsApp as of the time of filing this report.

Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/bureaucracy-cash-crunch-stall-e-passport-issuance/

Scarcity? When will the body system of Nigeria function effectively? It's well.

This is a simple case of "when the head is rotten, no good thing will come out of the entire body".

Who is surprised

There is problem o... .



This job is getting despicable

Nothing works here

How much is the passport cost in Nigeria presently

What’s the actually price ? Pls anyone have the idea

When it is all about corruption and my own cut, the system doesn't function. They are not about providing services but dragging their own cut of the largesse

When corruption has littered the system
They charge double and you get issued within 24hrs, more money for the hoodlums

I dedicate Sound Sultan Area to this thread, such a great jam.

It can't fly without a fight from those officers he'll bent on daily urgent 2k from Nigerians.

Minister of Interior should be bold to see this through.

Govt of Scarcities

Frm Naira to dollar to fuel to electricity to foodstuffs etc

Now to passport 😕

It can only be happening in animal kingdom

Jrevelation:
How much is the passport cost in Nigeria presently

What’s the actually price ? Pls anyone have the idea

Officially 35k plus almost 2k booking fee.
In total #37000 official fee

They have created another fake scarcity to make people pay bribes to get hold of a passport

I doubt that, I think it is a case of when slowpoke are allowed access to the internet n I will tell you why.

How was the issuance of passport done n how were they paid before this transformative minister was appointed that ended year long wait to collect passport ?!

destiro:
This is a simple case of "when the head is rotten, no good thing will come out of the entire body".

Thank goodness. I just picked my new passport last week. I jumped this one.

I paid 120k for a 10 years passport yesterday

They shouldn't destroy the good job of the Minister of Interior

Jrevelation:
How much is the passport cost in Nigeria presently

What’s the actually price ? Pls anyone have the idea

32 pages 5 years validity is 35,000 + bank charges of 1400 total is 36,400 I just paid yesterday 7/3/2024

Sampi4me:
I paid 120k for a 10 years passport yesterday

I paid 65k for 5 years 2 days ago.

It's already 8th of March 2024, the day Minister Bunmi Ojo promised that we are going to have our passport application processes done online: From application, capturing to delivery. I hope he doesn't derail from his promise

Too expensive

Reading…

ClearFlair:
Who is surprised

Literally no one

No be this guy promise Nigerians passport home delivery soon?

SalamRushdie:
They have created another fake scarcity to make people pay bribes to get hold of a passport

You know exactly what's going on. And this is how all government corruption works. Inefficient on purpose so that people bribe their way to get things done.