FG Promises One Week Passport Delivery After Fee Hike

The Federal Government has announced that Nigerian passports will soon be processed and delivered within one week of application as part of ongoing reforms in the system.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this known during the ministry’s mid-tenure performance retreat in Abuja. He explained that the new process is designed to cut delays, end racketeering, and restore confidence in the country’s travel documents.

This assurance comes after the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) announced a 100 percent increase in passport fees effective September 1, 2025. Under the new rates, a 32-page passport valid for five years will cost N100,000, while a 64-page booklet valid for ten years will be issued at N200,000.

Tunji-Ojo said the new system would guarantee both speed and quality, ensuring Nigerians no longer wait months or pay extra to fast-track applications. He revealed that the centralised personalisation centre now has the capacity to print five times more passports than needed, with vetting completed in less than 24 hours.

He recalled that his administration inherited a six-month backlog of applications but cleared it within two and a half weeks. According to him, the reforms also remove the power of Passport Control Officers to approve or delay applications, a step he described as crucial in curbing corruption and eliminating human interference.

The minister further explained that the measures will help protect Nigeria’s identity by preventing foreigners from illegally obtaining the country’s passports. He cited the arrest of a Ugandan woman at Lagos Airport who had acquired a Nigerian passport for $1,000, stressing that such practices would no longer be possible.

Tunji-Ojo said the ultimate goal of the reforms is to make the process efficient, transparent, and free from extortion, assuring Nigerians that their passports will now reflect the integrity and dignity of the nation.