The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that passports will now be delivered within one week of enrolment, following sweeping reforms in the country’s issuance system.
The Minister of Interior, speaking at the ministry’s mid-tenure performance retreat in Abuja, said the reforms were designed to eliminate long delays, racketeering, and corruption that had plagued the process for years.
“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 declared.
The minister noted that the previous system forced many Nigerians to wait up to six or seven months or pay between ₦200,000 and ₦250,000 to fast-track processing. He revealed that the backlog of applications inherited by the administration, which stretched for six months, was cleared in less than three weeks.
He cited his own experience of having to pay hundreds of thousands of naira for his daughter’s passport as proof of the rot that had gripped the system, stressing that such practices would no longer be tolerated.
The government has now established a centralised personalisation centre, described as the largest in Africa, which is capable of printing five times more passports than the country currently needs. According to the minister, the new system allows for vetting within 24 hours, making delays unnecessary.
He further announced that passport control officers would no longer have the power to approve or delay applications, a move aimed at curbing extortion and abuse of office. Approval has been centralised to minimise human interference and safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s travel documents.
“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. Let Nigerians be happy. 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 said.
The minister also revealed that tighter vetting procedures were being put in place to stop foreigners from illegally obtaining Nigerian passports. He cited past incidents, including the arrest of a Ugandan woman at Lagos airport who had paid $1,000 to procure a Nigerian passport.
According to him, the reforms will not only restore public confidence in the process but also protect the passport as a symbol of national identity and pride.
