Days of passport applications backlog in Nigeria are gone – FG

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has said the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) no longer have a backlog of passport applications.

He disclosed this during a media parley with editors in Abuja on Friday as part of activities to mark his one year in office.

The minister said the days when the NIS had hundreds of thousands of backlogs of applications had gone as the current administration had implemented far-reaching innovations to tackle all the issues around passport administration in the country.

He said the NIS always has a minimum of 50000 passport booklets at any time as part of efforts to ensure that no Nigerian is made to wait for the document.

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“We embarked on a comprehensive overhaul of the passport issuance process, addressing long-standing issues that have frustrated millions of Nigerians.

“One of our key accomplishments was clearing a massive backlog of 204,332 passport applications, a backlog that had left many citizens stranded for months if not years.

“Today, I can proudly say that we have not only addressed this challenge but we have introduced home delivery services for passports.

“This innovation ensures that Nigerians no longer have to endure the stress of travelling long distances or waiting in long queues. Passports are now delivered directly to the homes of applicants, a service that has brought immense relief to thousands,” he said.

Tunji-Ojo also said the NIS had implemented contactless technology, streamlining the passport application process and improving overall efficiency.

“The days of bottlenecks and endless paperwork are behind us. Today, Nigerians experience a faster, more transparent, and seamless passport issuance process.

“We have also established a cutting-edge data centre at the NIS, with an impressive storage capacity of 1.4 petabytes. This state-of-the-art facility is designed to securely house and manage a vast array of critical national information, including the biometric data and personal records of Nigerian citizens, in order to ensure the safe storage and retrieval of sensitive information and enhance the efficiency of national security operations, identity management, and service delivery across the country,” he added.

He said the government had installed a total of 41 e-gates at the country’s airports, offering diasporan Nigerians and returning citizens an automated, hassle-free screening process.

He said this innovation not only improves efficiency at entry points but also ensures that citizens abroad return home with pride and ease.

The minister said the integration of Nigerian passports into global standards had further solidified the NIS as a key player on the international stage, adding that: “These initiatives enhance both access and security, making Nigerian passports more secure and respected worldwide.”

Speaking about the impact made in the protection of national assets, he said the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had arrested 2,254 vandals and oil bunkerers, with 550 currently under prosecution and 122 convictions already secured been relentless over the past year.

“In addition, the NSCDC disrupted organised crime networks by destroying 150 illegal refineries and 64 illegal oil dumps,” he said.

The Minister added that, in alignment with the administration’s economic diversification goals, the Mine Marshal initiative was launched to combat illegal mining and boost national revenue.

He also highlighted the numerous reforms going on in the Federal Fire Service and the Nigerian Correctional Service, including the amendment of the 1963 Fire Act, upgrading of the Fire academy and infrastructural turn-around of many custodial centres across the country.