FG has unveiled a centralised passport personalisation centre to slash processing time.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Thursday inaugurated the newly completed centralised passport personalisation centre at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Sauka, Abuja, promising a major overhaul of passport production and processing for Nigerians both at home and abroad.
The facility, now fully operational, aims to eliminate delays and enhance efficiency, aligning Nigeria’s passport system with global best practices.
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Speaking after inspecting the centre, Tunji-Ojo explained that the decentralised system previously operated 96 personalisation centres nationwide and abroad, compared with only two in the United States, one in the UK, three in France, and one each in India, Bangladesh, and other countries. “Centralisation ensures higher quality, better control, and greater efficiency in passport production,” he said.
The minister revealed that the new machines have drastically increased capacity, producing around 1,000 passports per hour, or 4,500–5,000 daily, compared with 250–300 per machine previously. Approved applicants can now receive their passports within 24 hours.
The reform also unified Nigeria’s passport series. “Previously, we had two series — A and B. Today, we have a single, standardised passport, eliminating duplication and strengthening document integrity,” Tunji-Ojo said.
Nigeria has fully migrated to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Public Key Directory (PKI-PKD), enhancing global authentication and credibility of Nigerian passports.
Highlighting the impact, the minister noted that the backlog of 204,000 passports at the time the administration assumed office has now been cleared. “Personalisation is fully automated, eliminating the need for manual correction and round-the-clock processing,” he added, calling the facility a world-class centre comparable to those in the U.S., U.K., France, Russia, India, and Bangladesh.
Tunji-Ojo expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the NIS leadership, and technical partner IRIS SMART Technologies Limited for their support in making the project a reality.
Assuring Nigerians of faster service, he said: “Where people used to wait days or weeks, passports can now be processed in hours. We are targeting delivery within one week or less.”
On passport fees, the minister stated, “What matters is that Nigerians now get value for money through faster, more secure, and more reliable services.”
Describing the initiative as a major success for the administration, Tunji-Ojo concluded: “This is a big win for Nigeria and a testament to the government’s commitment to service delivery, reform, and efficiency.”
