The Federal Government has officially ended the long-standing practice of producing passports at multiple centres, unveiling Nigeria’s first-ever centralised passport personalisation system after 62 years of operating without one.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this announcement on Thursday during an inspection tour of the new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja.
According to him, Nigeria had operated since 1963 without a centralised system, a challenge that often led to inefficiency, delays, and inconsistencies in passport delivery.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo declared.
He revealed that the old machines were only able to produce 250 to 300 passports daily, whereas the newly deployed system now has the capacity to deliver between 4,500 and 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” the minister noted, calling the reform a “game-changer” in Nigeria’s passport administration.
The minister further stated: “We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week. Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians.”
He explained that the centralisation move aligns with global standards, enhances the integrity of Nigeria’s travel documents worldwide, and reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda.
Tunji-Ojo emphasised that the development would not only improve efficiency but also restore public confidence in NIS operations.
okaynews.com reports that the Minister described the reform as “a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.”
