FG CLEARS N20BN DEBT, ISSUES OVER 3.5 MILLION PASSPORTS IN MAJOR IMMIGRATION REFORMS
Read Time:2 Minute, 15 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Federal Government has successfully cleared a debt of over N20 billion and resolved a backlog of more than 200,000 passport applications inherited prior to the assumption of office by President Bola Tinubu, marking a milestone achievement under his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this known on Tuesday during the commissioning of a new Passport Front Office in Abuja. He disclosed that the sweeping reforms implemented since August 2023 have not only eliminated a massive backlog but also led to the issuance of over 3.5 million passports in less than two years.
“When we came in, there was a backlog of over 200,000 passports and nearly N20 billion in debt. Today, that backlog has been cleared, and the debt has been settled,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
According to the minister, a total of 3,080,141 passports were processed within Nigeria, while 466,117 passports were issued in the diaspora, bringing the total number to 3,546,258.
He credited the success to reforms aimed at cutting costs and boosting efficiency. Notably, the automation of breeder document uploadsbsuch as birth and marriage certificates has helped the government save over N1 billion annually, previously paid to contractors.
“This is a major reform. We no longer pay contractors for what Nigerians can upload themselves. That money stays with government now,” he added.
To improve accessibility and bolster national security, the number of passport issuance centres offering the enhanced e-passport has expanded from 26 to 44 across Nigeria, and from five to 47 abroad. All centres now issue harmonised, ICAO-compliant enhanced passports, replacing the previous fragmented system that affected Nigeria’s global credibility.
In a further boost to the country’s passport infrastructure, the minister announced that a central passport personalisation centre with cutting-edge technology will be launched in August 2025. The project is being executed by Iris Smart Technologies at no cost to the government.
Additionally, Nigeria has now joined the International Civil Aviation Organization Public Key Directory (ICAO PKD), enabling global digital authentication of Nigerian passports and increasing international trust.
As part of ongoing digital reforms, Tunji-Ojo announced that beginning July 31, 2025, all applications for Special Expatriate Permits and Temporary Work Permits must be submitted online only.
“Manual processing will no longer be allowed. We must have the data, biometrics, and documentation of every applicant for national security,” he said.
The Minister reaffirmed that these reforms are rooted in transparency, digital transformation, national security, and citizen-focused service delivery aimed at eliminating systemic inefficiencies and restoring credibility to Nigeria’s immigration processes.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0