ABUJA – The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres and moved to a single, centralised system for the first time since its establishment in 1963.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the development on Thursday after inspecting the new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja. He described the facility as a “game-changer” that will eliminate backlogs, improve efficiency and align Nigeria’s passport production with global best practices.
“This project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said. He explained that while the old machines could only produce 250–300 passports daily, the new centre has the capacity to produce between 4,500 and 5,000 passports every day.
End of Backlogs and Faster Service Delivery
According to the minister, the centralised model will end years of delays and backlogs in passport processing. He revealed that the government inherited over 204,000 pending applications but assured Nigerians that the new system has closed that chapter.
“This centre puts an end to the era of backlogs and delays. Everything is automated and efficient, ensuring Nigerians get value for their money,” he said. Approved passports can now be printed within 24 hours and delivered within one week.
Passport Production Reform Aligned With Tinubu’s Agenda
Tunji-Ojo stressed that the reform aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of modernising government services. He said the centralisation represents one of the boldest steps in the history of the NIS and places Nigeria among countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, India and Bangladesh that operate similar facilities.
“Centralisation is global best practice because it ensures higher quality, better control, and greater efficiency,” he added.
Partnership and Technology
The facility was built in partnership with IRISMAT Technologies Limited and uses advanced machines capable of producing up to 1,000 passports per hour. The minister emphasised that the project was not directly funded from government coffers but delivered through a strategic partnership to ensure value and sustainability.
Other reforms highlighted include:
- Migration to a single passport series, eliminating the former “A and B” system.
- Diaspora coverage, ensuring all Nigerian missions abroad issue the enhanced B-series passport.
- Full integration into the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Public Key Directory, boosting global trust in Nigerian passports.
“These reforms ensure that no two Nigerians carry different passport types, enhance global trust in our documents, and position Nigeria as a serious player in global travel systems,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
Centralised Passport Production: A Historic Milestone
Since its establishment in 1963, the NIS had never operated a central passport personalisation centre until now. The minister described the new facility as a “legacy project” that will redefine passport services in Nigeria.
“With this centre, Nigeria now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with advanced nations in the management of travel documents. It is a historic milestone that guarantees faster, more reliable and efficient service delivery to Nigerians,” he said.
