Amina Mansur
The Federal Government has announced a new system for processing Nigerian passports, which will allow citizens to apply and receive passports from the comfort of their homes starting in April 2025.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the announcement during a stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, where the new contactless passport processing app was unveiled.
According to him, the innovative process will be available to Nigerians aged 18 and above, as well as those seeking to renew expired passports.
However, first-time applicants will still be required to visit a passport processing center to register their biometrics.
The contactless system is designed to minimize physical interaction, reducing the common challenges faced by passport applicants both in Nigeria and abroad.
The project is a collaboration between Irish Smart Technology and New World, two Nigerian firms that have been testing the process for the past nine months.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo emphasized that the new app will streamline the application process, eliminating the need for middlemen and reducing delays in passport issuance. From April 2025, passport production will be centralized in Nigeria, with no foreign missions allowed to approve passport requests.
Additionally, the President has approved a policy that will allow the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to retain 50% of its internally generated revenue, aiming to speed up processing times and improve services for Nigerians at home and abroad.
NIS Comptroller-General, Mrs. Kemi Nandep, highlighted that the move to contactless passport issuance aligns with international best practices and will enhance the security of Nigerian passports. Furthermore, 32 forward operational bases are being built across Nigeria to bolster the operations of the NIS and national security.