The Nigeria Immigration Service has significantly increased its daily passport production capacity from 250-300 to 5,000 passports with the launch of a new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre in Abuja.
This significant reform, described by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, as a major milestone, directly addresses the crippling backlog and endemic delays that have frustrated Nigerian citizens both at home and abroad for years.
Previously, the NIS relied on outdated, decentralised machines scattered across various centres, which collectively could only manage approximately 250 to 300 documents each day.
This meagre output resulted in processing delays that often stretched for months, tarnishing the integrity and efficiency of the service.
However, the new approach, featuring a single Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre in Abuja, is a ‘game-changer’.
The facility is now capable of processing between 4,500 and 5,000 passports daily within just four to five hours of operation. The move fully centralises the production process for the first time since the NIS was established in 1963, aligning Nigeria’s passport issuance with global best practices.
This streamlined and automated system is intended to improve efficiency, ensure uniformity, and enhance the security of the Nigerian travel document worldwide.
The Interior Minister stated that the reform is part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader agenda to strengthen service delivery and restore public confidence in government institutions.
He further committed to a faster turnaround time, pushing the initial two-week delivery promise down to just one week for successful applications. By centralising production and automating key processes, the government aims to eliminate the existing backlog and provide a reliable, efficient passport service that citizens can truly depend on.
