FG Orders Withdrawal of Passports from Citizens Who Renounce Nigerian Citizenship

The Federal Government has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to immediately withdraw and deactivate the international passports of Nigerians who have formally renounced their citizenship.

The directive was issued by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and applies to individuals whose renunciation of Nigerian citizenship has been officially approved by the President, in line with constitutional provisions.

According to the Special Adviser on Media to the Minister, Alao Babatunde, the policy is grounded in Section 29(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which outlines the legal process for renunciation of citizenship.

The provision states that any citizen of full age who wishes to renounce Nigerian citizenship must make a formal declaration in the prescribed manner, and that upon presidential registration of such declaration, the individual ceases to be a Nigerian citizen.

Following this, the Minister stressed that persons who are no longer citizens of Nigeria are not entitled to retain or use Nigerian sovereign documents, including international passports.

Tunji-Ojo explained that the move is aimed at ensuring strict compliance with the law and safeguarding the integrity of the country’s identity and travel documentation system.

He added that the directive is part of broader ongoing reforms within the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service, particularly those focused on passport administration, border security, and identity management.

According to him, the policy is designed to strengthen national security, reduce identity fraud, and ensure that only eligible citizens retain access to Nigerian travel documents.

“We will continue to strengthen systems that secure Nigeria’s borders, prevent identity fraud, preserve the sanctity of Nigerian citizenship, and facilitate legitimate travel while preventing unauthorized or ineligible access,” he said.

The Ministry noted that implementation will be strictly tied to cases where citizenship renunciation has been formally completed and approved, in line with due legal process.

The development marks another step in the government’s efforts to tighten immigration controls and modernise identity management systems across the country.