NIGERIA IMMIGRATION SERVICE DENIES SOUTHEAST PASSPORT BAN, CITES ONGOING MODERNISATION
Read Time:1 Minute, 25 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has dismissed online claims that the South East zone has been disqualified from obtaining passports, describing the report as baseless and misleading.
In a statement issued on Saturday, NIS Public Relations Officer DCI Akinsola Akinlabi said the alleged disruptions are part of a broader government-led reform to modernise passport administration across the country, and not a form of regional discrimination.
“The misleading reports are a gross misrepresentation of our ongoing efforts to transition to a more secure and efficient centralised production framework,” Akinlabi said.
According to the Service, the modernisation programme began in 2024 with the goal of enhancing the “efficiency, integrity and security of Nigeria’s passport production system,” ensuring all citizens have equal access to services.
The delays cited online are due to a phased onboarding system migrating passport offices, including foreign missions, to the centralised framework. Significant progress has already been made in Northeast and North Central states—including Borno, Yobe, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Plateau—as well as 35 international stations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.
The current phase of migration focuses on the Southeast states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo, along with international missions in Italy, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, and Austria. The Service assured that the project, ongoing in the first quarter of 2026, follows a strict work-plan calendar to minimise disruption.
NIS urged the public to disregard “speculative narratives” that could create unnecessary tension, reaffirming its commitment to equitable service delivery and operational excellence for all Nigerians.
“The reforms are in the national interest and aim to ensure that all Nigerians, regardless of location, continue to have access to passport services,” the statement concluded.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0