The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has pledged to deliver passports to applicants within one week, a landmark move following the first centralisation of passport production in its 62-year history.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the development on Thursday during an inspection of the new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja. He confirmed the facility is fully operational, marking a significant leap in efficiency for the country.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
The minister detailed the dramatic increase in production capacity, explaining that outdated machinery had limited output to just 250–300 booklets daily. In contrast, the new centralised system boasts a daily capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing the new centre as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria. This enhanced capacity directly supports the ambitious new delivery timeline. “We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week,” the minister said.
He emphasised that technology is key to fulfilling this promise. “Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” Tunji-Ojo noted.
Furthermore, he highlighted that centralising production aligns with global standards and would significantly improve the uniformity and integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide. The reform is positioned as a critical part of President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to enhance public service delivery and modernise government operations across the board.
The move is expected to end the protracted delays and bottlenecks that have long plagued the passport issuance process, offering a much-improved experience for Nigerians.
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