Newsonline understands that despite multiple reports of a passport booklet shortage which has forced the government to implement an e-passport for returning Nigerians from the United Kingdom and the United States, the Federal Government has denied that there is a passport booklet shortage in Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola in a statement issued by the Minister’s Media Adviser, Mr Sola Fasure, on Tuesday in Abuja, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
He added that the Federal Government has cleared all backlogs of passport applications.
Aregbesola said the ministry has made efforts to make passports available to Nigerians, citing that in 2021, it provided 1.3 million passports to Nigerians.
He also revealed that 10,000 passport booklets have been deployed to the new Port Harcourt passport production centre to fast-track passport issuance in the area, adding that the centre would now be responsible for passport demands from Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa.
Aregbesola said that a six weeks and three weeks window for fresh application and renewal respectively had been provided after biometric data capture, within which the passport will be ready.
“We are also introducing data capture centres all over the country before the end of 2022, to eliminate physical contacts with NIS officials,” he added.
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