₦airaland Forum

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that passports will now be delivered within one week of enrolment, following sweeping reforms in the issuance process.

Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja during the ministry’s mid tenure performance retreat.

He said, “Our target is very clear: within one week of enrolment, every Nigerian should have their passport in hand.

“Not just delivering quickly, but delivering quality passports that reflect our integrity as a nation.”

He noted that the new system was designed to eliminate long delays and extortion that once forced citizens to wait six to seven months or pay as much as ₦200,000 to fast-track processing.

“The system that we inherited that had six months backlog which we were able to clear in two-and-a-half weeks. That system that was inefficient. Nigerians will apply for passport, it will take six to seven months to get it. A system that for passport, you need to pay N200,000 to N250,000.

“That system we inherited was inefficient. Nigerians will apply for passports and wait endlessly, or be asked to pay hundreds of thousands of naira

“My own daughter had that bad experience. Even when I was chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, my daughter wanted passport, it was a problem. I had to pay hundreds of thousands to be able to get a passport for my daughter, a 12-year-old girl. That era is over,” Tunji-Ojo said.

The minister explained that the centralised personalisation centre, the largest in Africa, will ensure faster processing and stricter security.

“With this facility, we can print five times more passports than we currently need. Once you enrol, it doesn’t take us more than 24 hours to vet. Printing capacity is no longer our problem,” he said.

Tunji-Ojo also announced that Passport Control Officers will no longer have the power to approve or delay passport applications, following revelations that some of them were at the centre of corruption and inefficiency in the system.


He said the reform was aimed at curbing racketeering, eliminating delays, and restoring integrity to Nigeria’s travel documents.

“Some PCOs had so much power that they could decide not to approve or not to print a passport until they were settled. That abuse of power ends now,” Tunji-Ojo said.

According to him, centralising the approval process will ensure that passport applicants are no longer at the mercy of individual officers.

We realised that the best way to cut corruption is to remove human contact to the barest minimum.

“Passport approval will no longer rest with PCOs. My responsibility is not for them to like me — it is to deliver efficiency. Let Nigerians be happy,” he declared.

He added that the reforms will also safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s passport.

“My responsibility is not just to make passports available, but to ensure that anybody carrying it is a Nigerian. If you are not a Nigerian, you cannot carry it. It’s about our national integrity,” he added.

He cited past cases where foreigners bought Nigerian passports illegally, stressing that new vetting and approval processes would restore integrity to the system.

“In one incident, a Ugandan woman carrying a Nigerian passport was arrested at Lagos Airport after paying $1,000 to procure it.

“That cannot continue. Our passport must remain a true symbol of Nigerian identity,” he added

https://punchng.com/fg-targets-one-week-passport-delivery-vows-to-end-racketeering/

Many people already pay far more to agents. If the official process becomes faster and smoother, then I see the issue about the cost.

Nigerians want a working system, if delivery is good and efficient it will be good

Is this why Nigerians must starve before they can afford to own passports?

How are other countries of the world including African countries doing it such that the cost of passport processing is a fraction of the minimum wage?

The money some agent use to demand sometimes just to get the passport is very alarming that is why i support this new change within one week of registration boom your passport is ready no more endless waiting.

Temmy1997:
The money some agent use to demand sometimes just to get the passport is very alarming that is why i support this new change within one week of registration boom your passport is ready no more endless waiting.

Let them show working first. Show us that you can do it for 6 months, then increase the cost to like 40% of minimum wage max (if it must be expensive). We can’t be one of the most expensive passport countries in the world compared to minimum wage

A working system is all we want. Efficiency and great service delivery has a price and if the acquisition of a Nigerian Passport can be a week, it is highly commendable and welcoming.

I believe with this Nigerians will no longer pass or go through any middleman to get a passport.

This is a very great new, in just one week passport is delivered to you

The technological development brought into passport definitely came with a cost which will reflect on the overhead cost of each passport.

Honourable Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo is making passport application and collection processing easier and faster.

Nigerians wants a working and effectively system. If this process will make passport collection less stressful for Nigerians, then it is a commendable and a welcome idea.

Give it time. The price hike was bound to happen. The service delivery has been good so far, so if it gets better. Why not

Same thing dey said last year when they hiked the price and now they are saying same again to justify the unjust hike ...Just know they will do nothing to Racketeers , just prepare to spend 140k on the passport

givedemwotowoto:
Is this why Nigerians must starve before they can afford to own passports?

How are other countries of the world including African countries doing it such that the cost of passport processing is a fraction of the minimum wage?

Go and tell that to airlines when you want to pay for your ticket.

And how is minimum wage the yardstick for determining the price of an International passport?!

You mean if your minimum wage is #100,000 you will use all of it to purchase a passport instantly when your salary is paid?! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Is that how you will go about it?! Lol.😂 That is not rational. You will have to save to be able to afford it because there are other needs aside using the whole of your salary to purchase an international passport at once.

Why not improve the system first to convince people to pay?

We have seen it with the fuel we buy with ease today at an increase price.

plessis:
Why not improve the system first to convince people to pay?

How?! Dis one no be suya to taste first or garri.

Softmirror:
Go and tell that to airlines when you want to pay for your ticket.

And how is minimum wage the yardstick for determining the price of an International passport?!

You mean if your minimum wage is #100,000 you will use all of it to purchase a passport instantly when your salary is paid?! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Is that how you will go about it?! Lol.😂 That is not rational. You will have to save to be able to afford it because there are other needs aside using the whole of your salary to purchase an international passport at once.

Airlines are private companies with a profit motive. Government collects taxes and provides services (in many instances subsidized) in return

For one who has experienced passport delay you will appreciate this Reforms and process
Especially for international students

Quality services come at premium costs anywhere and everywhere around the world. Should the NIS truly fulfill the promise of delivering the passports to Nigerians in one week, then Nigerians should gladly pay the new fees because it is quite reasonable compared to what we had paid in the past to settle corrupt officers at the passport offices.

isolaokodoro:
Quality services come at premium costs anywhere and everywhere around the world. Should the NIS truly fulfill the promise of delivering the passports to Nigerians in one week, then Nigerians should gladly pay the new fees because it is quite reasonable compared to what we had paid in the past to settle corrupt officers at the passport offices.

Or you elect leaders who will end the corruption so you can pay what is reasonable compared to our standard of living?

givedemwotowoto:
Airlines are private companies with a profit motive. Government collects taxes and provides services (in many instances subsidized) in return

You can't eat you cake and still have it. Do you have the statistics of the number of Nigerians who were able to get an international passport when the price was 'affordable'?!

When the price was 'affordable' the challenges in getting a passport was so much that time and money was so wasted. That was the reality!

Today it is different which comes with it's own price. You can't eat your cake and still have it.
We can only hold the minister accountable if he doesn't deliver at the appointment time frame set by his ministry.

Good one by the Interior minister and Immigration.

But why e be say when want to intl passport for my little bobo na then Immigration come increase the cost eh! .. No shaking tho.

Whoever cursed this country must be laughing hard in his grave due to the potency of his curse.

Is it that we don't learn from history or our selective amnesia is a chronic one?

Our government just increased Passport Fee and all I was reading up there was that "as long as it can be delivered efficiently, we don't mind the cost". Like seriously?

The fuel price that was increased 2 years ago, how is it working for us?

Werey ni gbogbo yin se!

Anyone that can cover their travel expenses, should not be bothered about passport fee increase.

ravensckar:
Whoever cursed this country must be laughing hard in his grave due to the potency of his curse.

Is it that we don't learn from history or our selective amnesia is a chronic one?

Our government just increased Passport Fee and all I was reading up there was that "as long as it can be delivered efficiently, we don't mind the cost". Like seriously?

The fuel price that was increased 2 years ago, how is it working for us?

Werey ni gbogbo yin se!

A million gbosa for you.
See as I dey look them..quoting nonsense..
Which quality assurance or speedy delivery would they achieve?
This passport price has been hiked severely over the years, what noticable difference has been made?
You hike the price to 100k?
What difference has the government made to justify this increment?
Everyone is just capping nonsense and supporting rubbish..
The one they did to fuel?
The subsidy recovered..what tangible thing has been done with it?
Keep supporting demonic govt.
It will reach everyone .