FG issues 3.5m passports, saving over N1b from reforms – Tunji-Ojo
Deputy Comptroller General of immigration, Ayeni Afolayan (left); Comptroller General, Kemi Nandap; Minister of Water Resources & Sanitation, Prof. Terlumun Utsev; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr Magdalene Ajani; Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Richard Pheelangwah; Secretary of the Board CDCFIB, Abdulmalik Jibrin and Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Training and Staff Development, Ada James Umanah, at the official commissioning of the Ministry of Interior passport front office in Abuja.
Federal Government has issued over 3.5 million passports in less than two years and saved over N1 billion yearly through reforms in the passport processing system.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at the inauguration of the ministry’s new Passport Front Office.
He said the reforms were implemented in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to enhance efficiency, security and service delivery.
The minister said the administration inherited a backlog of over 200,000 unprocessed passports and a debt of nearly ₦20 billion on assumption of office in 2023.
He explained that the backlog and debt had since been cleared.
“While 3,080,141 passports were issued locally, 466,117 passports were also issued in the diaspora since August 2023. This makes a total of 3,546,258 passports issued.
Tunji-Ojo said the ministry also automated the upload of documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, which previously cost the government about N1 billion yearly.
“This is a major reform. We no longer pay contractors for what Nigerians can do themselves. That money stays with the government now,” he said.
He announced that the number of centres issuing enhanced e-passports had increased from 26 to 44 in Nigeria and from five to 47 in the diaspora.
All passport offices, according to him, now issue harmonised enhanced passports in line with global best practices.
“We inherited a system where different types of passports were issued. That affected our credibility. Today, every Nigerian passport is ICAO-compliant and globally verifiable,” the minister said.
Tunji-Ojo said a new passport central personalisation centre with modern technology, provided at no cost by Iris Smart Technologies, would become operational by August 2025.
He commended the company for supporting the government’s reform efforts and providing advanced passport production equipment without cost to the treasury.
While launching the new Passport Front Office in Abuja, yesterday, Tunji-Ojo said the specialised facility would address ongoing challenges faced by high-ranking government officials in accessing passports, which often forced them to abandon their duties and endure long waits at standard offices.
He said: “This new office will significantly enhance access, reduce waiting times, and elevate service standards for passport delivery.”
The minister, in a statement, noted that the initiative was part of a broader reform effort by the ministry in 2023, emphasising the lack of a dedicated passport facility for public officials before the launch.
