Immigration recommits to seamless passport issuance in new drive
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Hassles in passport issuance at home and abroad are to give way for easier and faster processing in the new drive for seamless delivery, according to Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Comptroller General Isah Idris.
He said the NIS is aware of the hiccups encountered by passport applicants and the efforts made in recent months will address the issues as more passport front offices are being opened.
Idris spoke at the commissioning of NIS command in Katsina where he unveiled the enhanced electronic passport (e-passport) facility in the state.
“Efforts are ongoing to ensure more front offices are opened in the state to reduce the traffic. Soon, the office in Daura will be due for commissioning,” he said, according to reporting by The Guardian.
“The equipment for the enhanced e-passport has already been set up in Katsina. In a few days’ time, it will become operational, hopefully alongside the Daura front office.
“With the rollout of this enhanced travel document, it is certain that cases of delays in processing passports will be taken care of, provided applicants abide strictly with the application guidelines, including ensuring that they make use of the online application and payment platform as well as to synchronize the data in their passport application with the information in their NIN (National Identification Number).
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NIS plans to issue 2m passports in 5 months
About 1.9 million passports were issued in 2022, an 80 per cent increase versus one million in 2021, making a total 2.9 million issued in the two years by the NIS.
But Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola has insisted the current rate of issuance is inadequate to meet demand for 200,000 passports a month and 2.4 million a year, with pressure most acute in Lagos which accounts for half of passport applications.
He disclosed the NIS is ready to improve its capacity and performance with plans to process at least two million passports between January and May 2023.
Aregbesola reiterated about two weeks ago at the inauguration of a new passport office front desk in the Alimosho area of Lagos the federal government has made passport application process more seamless with less human contact.
The front desk office only captures biometrics and picture and is not equipped to print passports.
Aregbesola disclosed Lagos alone accounts for 100,000 out of the total 200,000 passport applicants monthly, stressing the new front desk office would reduce the pressure on the passport offices in Ikoyi, Alausa, and FESTAC.
He said the three passport offices in Lagos could only process 1,000 passports each month which is too inadequate to meet demand, and 14 additional front desk offices would be created in the state.
Front desk offices would also be created in Daura, Zaria, Oyo, and other major cities and states across the country, he added.
