The Federal Government has announced that Nigerian passports will now be delivered within one week of enrolment, following sweeping reforms in the issuance process.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during a mid-term performance retreat for the ministry and its parastatals.
“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,” the minister said.
He explained that the reforms were designed to eliminate the long delays and extortion that previously forced applicants to wait for up to six months or pay as much as ₦200,000 for expedited processing.
“The system we inherited had a six-month backlog, which we cleared in two and a half weeks. Nigerians used to wait endlessly or pay heavily to get their passports. My own daughter had that bad experience. That era is over,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
The minister said a newly established centralized personalization centre will facilitate faster processing and boost security.
According to him, the facility can print five times more passports than currently required, with applications vetted within 24 hours.
He also announced that Passport Control Officers (PCOs) would no longer have the authority to approve or delay applications, a decision aimed at curbing corruption.
“Some PCOs had so much power that they could decide not to approve or print a passport until they were settled. That abuse of power ends now,” he affirmed.
Tunji-Ojo stressed that centralizing approval will reduce human contact, protect applicants from exploitation, and safeguard the integrity of Nigerian passports.
He cited cases of foreigners illegally obtaining Nigerian passports, including a Ugandan woman arrested at Lagos Airport after allegedly paying $1,000.
“My responsibility is not just to make passports available, but to ensure that anybody carrying one is a Nigerian. Our passport must remain a true symbol of Nigerian identity,” he said.
