The Nigerian government has unveiled plans to ensure all passport applications are processed within seven days, promising an end to long delays and corrupt practices, according to Interior Minister Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
Speaking during the ministry’s mid-term performance retreat in Abuja, Dr Tunji-Ojo affirmed that reforms are underway to fast-track passport issuance while maintaining high standards of security. “Our target is very clear; within one week of enrolment, every Nigerian should have their passport in hand,” the minister stated.
The announcement follows the Nigeria Immigration Service’s decision to double passport fees effective from September 1, 2025. The cost for a five-year 32-page passport is now set at ₦100,000, while the 64-page 10-year variant will cost ₦200,000.
Dr Tunji-Ojo highlighted that a new centralised personalisation centre has been established to boost efficiency. “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 as printing capacity is no longer our problem,” he explained.
The minister also addressed the endemic issues of extortion and bureaucratic bottlenecks, assuring that passport control officers will no longer hold powers to delay or approve applications. “We realised that the best way to cut corruption is to remove human contact to the barest minimum,” he asserted. “Passport approval will no longer rest in the hands of officers as my responsibility is not for them to like me, but to deliver efficiency. Let Nigerians be happy.”
Further emphasizing security, Dr Tunji-Ojo revealed measures to prevent illegal possession of Nigerian passports by foreigners. He recounted an incident involving a Ugandan caught with a fraudulently acquired Nigerian passport at Lagos Airport.
“That cannot continue as our passport must remain a true symbol of Nigerian identity,” he declared.
