FG targets one-week passport delivery

The Federal Government has announced that Nigerians will no longer endure long waiting periods to obtain passports, as the new Centralized Passport Personalization System will enable production within days of approved applications.

Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this during an inspection of the newly completed centralized facility at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja.

He described the system as a “game-changer,” noting that production capacity has been dramatically expanded from the previous 250–300 passports per machine daily to about 1,000 per hour, giving a total output of 4,500–5,000 passports daily.

“This means the Nigerian Immigration Service can now meet demand within a standard four- to five-hour workday. Applicants whose requests are approved can now expect their passports to be printed within 24 hours,” Tunji-Ojo said.

On addressing backlogs, the minister revealed that there were 204,000 pending passport applications when he assumed office, but “the era of backlogs is over.”

He added that the transition from multiple personalization centres to a single centralized system would enhance service delivery, efficiency, and accountability.

“Centralization is global best practice because it ensures higher quality, better control, and greater efficiency in passport production,” Tunji-Ojo explained, noting that Nigeria previously operated 96 centers — a figure comparable only to China.

The minister also announced the unification of Nigeria’s passport series and the country’s full migration to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Public Key Directory, boosting the global credibility of Nigerian passports.

He expressed gratitude to the Presidency, the Ministry of Interior, the NIS Comptroller-General, and technical partner IRISMART Technologies Limited for their roles in achieving the milestone.

Tunji-Ojo assured that the new system would continue to reduce waiting times to achieve a one-week processing window nationwide.

He, however, declined to comment on the recent 200 percent hike in passport fees, stressing that the focus was on delivering faster, more secure, and more efficient service.