Nigerians will soon be able to process and receive their passports from home, according to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
This new initiative, however, will initially apply only to those aged 18 and above seeking passport renewals. First-time applicants must still visit passport centers to register their biometrics.
The announcement was made at a stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, where the contactless passport processing App was unveiled. This project, a collaboration between Irish Smart Technology and New World, has been in test mode for nine months and is designed to streamline passport issuance while reducing the influence of middlemen who often exploit the process.
From April next year, passport production will be centralized in Nigeria, and immigration attachés in foreign missions will no longer have visa approval authority. This change aims to improve efficiency in passport processing. Additionally, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) will retain 50% of its internally generated revenue, enabling it to upgrade its operations and reduce delays.
To bolster national security, the government is also constructing 32 forward operational bases to assist the NIS. Mrs. Kemi Nandap, the Comptroller-General of NIS, highlighted that the contactless system would enhance passport security in line with international standards while making the process more convenient for Nigerians.
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