By Ibironke Ariyo
The Federal Government claims to have issued over 3.5 million passports in less than two years and saved over Rs 1 billion annually through reforms to the system.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the announcement Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the new passport secretariat.
Mr. Tunji-Ojo said the reforms are part of President Bola Tinubu’s “New Hope Agenda,” which aims to increase efficiency, security, and improve service delivery.
He added that the ministry has fully automated the uploading of documents such as birth and marriage certificates, which previously cost the government Rs 1 billion annually.
“This is a major reform. “We no longer pay service providers, which Nigerians can now manage themselves. The money remains in the hands of the government,” he said.
He also announced that 3,080,141 passports have been issued domestically and 466,117 abroad since August 2023.
Regarding inheritance issues, the minister said the government inherited over 200,000 passport applications and a debt of nearly Rs 20 billion.
He confirmed that the backlog and debt had been completely cleared since he took office.
“We have ended the passport shortage. Nigerians will never again have to wait in endless queues or be denied identification,” he said.
The minister also announced that the number of enhanced ePassport centers nationwide has increased from 26 to 44, and that of enhanced ePassport centers internationally has increased from 5 to 47.
Tunji-Ojo affirmed that all passport offices issue harmonized enhanced passports in accordance with international best practices.
We inherited a system with inconsistent passport types, which has damaged our credibility. “All Nigerian passports are now ICAO compliant and can be verified worldwide,” he said. Regarding the new passport office, Tunji-Ojo said it would improve access and document integrity through digital processes. He described the opening as a significant step in facilitating the processing of travel documents by officials. He lamented that the Ministry of Home Affairs, which oversees the National Information Service (NIS), will not have its own passport office until 2023. He noted that the new personalization center, equipped with cutting-edge technology from Iris Smart Technologies, will be operational by August. He commended Iris Smart Technologies for providing state-of-the-art equipment to the government free of charge. In a policy shift, the minister declared that, as of July 31, all SEPAC and TWP applications will have to be completed online. He warned that manual processing will be banned from that date. “This government must know what it is selling and to whom. Biometrics and transparency are non-negotiable.” It’s not 1925 anymore; it’s 2025.
“Manual processing will be banned. We must collect biometric and national security data from all applicants,” he added. Mr. Tunji-Ojo said these reforms demonstrate the government’s commitment to digital governance, transparency, and efficient services.
He commended Iris Smart Technologies for providing workstations and biometric tools free of charge at the new passport office.
The same partner installed state-of-the-art personalization equipment at the NIS headquarters, also free of charge to the government.
He thanked the ministry’s directors and technical staff and requested their continued support to improve service and build public trust.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this is the 14th passport office in the country.
The goal is to significantly reduce waiting times and stress for officials and their families.
