Nigerians In US And Qatar Stranded As Passport Renewal Crisis Deepens

Nigerians living abroad are facing growing frustration as the process of renewing their passports remains stalled due to a technical failure in Nigeria’s identity database system.

The issue, which has already left many stranded, stems from an upgrade of the National Identity Management Commission’s (NIMC) portal, which links the National Identification Number (NIN) to passport services.

In the United States, the Consulate General in New York has confirmed that the NIN portal is currently down due to what officials describe as a transition from an older, weaker software to a stronger one. The Consul General, Abubakar Jidda, made the disclosure during a virtual town hall meeting with Nigerians living in New York, saying there is no clear timeline for when the portal will be restored.

The breakdown has had real consequences for Nigerians unable to renew their passports, especially those facing strict immigration regulations. Some individuals have reportedly been detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) due to expired travel documents. Jidda said the consulate is aware of these cases and is urging the NIMC to resolve the issue quickly to prevent further hardship.

While the software upgrade is intended to improve the system in the long term, its poor timing and lack of contingency measures have disrupted lives. Many Nigerian nationals in the US now fear deportation or job loss as they wait in uncertainty for a resolution.

The issue is not isolated to the United States. In Qatar, hundreds of Nigerians have reported being defrauded after the Nigerian Embassy in Doha collected large sums—up to 750 Qatari Riyals (over ₦315,000) from each applicant—for passport renewals that never materialized. According to affected individuals, the embassy had announced in February 2025 that immigration officials from Nigeria had arrived to handle the backlog. However, five months later, no passports have been issued, leaving applicants frustrated and angry.

Some of the victims described the embassy’s actions as a scam, saying they felt abandoned and exploited by their own government. Many are now stuck in Qatar with expired documents, unable to renew work permits or travel, and afraid to speak out publicly due to fear of retaliation.

At the town hall meeting in New York, Jidda also addressed concerns over the United States’ recent decision to issue only single-entry visas to Nigerian passport holders. He said the Nigerian government was caught off guard by the change and is currently in talks with US officials, expressing hope that the policy will be reversed.

He also clarified that Nigeria’s introduction of electronic visas was not aimed at Americans but intended to improve processing times and efficiency for all travelers.

As the crisis continues, Nigerians abroad are calling for transparency, accountability, and immediate intervention from the relevant authorities. Many feel trapped by a broken system and are demanding better treatment from the government that represents them overseas.