The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has defended the recent increase in international passport fees, stating that the adjustment is aimed at enhancing the quality, processing speed, and accessibility of passports, Okay.ng reports.
Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed, the NIS Comptroller in Adamawa, made this known on Monday in Yola during the inauguration of a sensitization exercise aimed at informing the public about the fee hike.
Mohammed explained that, effective from September 1, applicants within Nigeria will be required to pay ₦50,000 for a 32-page passport booklet with five years of validity, an increase from the previous fee of ₦35,000.
Additionally, the 64-page passport booklet with ten years of validity will now cost ₦100,000, up from ₦70,000.
However, the Comptroller clarified that applicants abroad will not be affected by this fee increase.
“This is a new enhanced passport with better durability and quality, aligning with international standards,” Mohammed said.
“It has fingerprints, and with that, it is difficult to be faked or tampered with, unlike the old one.”
Mohammed advised those intending to acquire or renew their passports to apply online or visit NIS offices, warning against patronizing agents to avoid being duped.
He also urged religious leaders to inform their followers about the new fees, emphasizing that applicants who apply before the September 1 deadline will be charged the old rates.
The NIS has also extended its awareness campaign to Local Government Areas, starting with Mubi, as well as motor parks and major streets in the state capital.
Representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Muslim Council in Adamawa, Mr. Joel Manzo and Alhaji Aliyu Iya, respectively, expressed their appreciation to the NIS for the enlightenment and pledged to disseminate the information to their followers.
