FG Promises Nigerian Passports Will Be Ready Within One Week of Application
The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that passports will now be delivered within one week of enrolment, following significant reforms in the application and issuance process.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the announcement on Thursday in Abuja during the ministry’s mid-term performance retreat.
“Our target is clear: within one week of enrolment, every Nigerian should receive their passport. It’s not just about speed but also about delivering high-quality passports that reflect the integrity of our nation,” the minister stated.
He explained that the reforms were aimed at eliminating the long delays and extortion that had plagued the process, forcing many applicants to wait six to seven months or pay as much as ₦200,000 to expedite processing.
“The system we inherited had a backlog of six months, which we cleared in just two and a half weeks. It was an inefficient system where applicants had to pay between ₦200,000 and ₦250,000 for a passport. Even my own daughter was a victim. While I was Chairman of the House Committee on the NDDC, I had to pay hundreds of thousands just to secure a passport for my 12-year-old daughter. That era is over,” Tunji-Ojo affirmed.
He highlighted the role of a new centralised personalisation centre — the largest in Africa — which has significantly boosted capacity and security.
“With this facility, we can now print five times more passports than our current demand. Once an applicant enrols, it takes no more than 24 hours to complete the vetting process. Printing capacity is no longer a challenge,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo also revealed that passport control officers (PCOs) would no longer have the authority to approve or delay applications, a move prompted by findings that some officials were at the center of corrupt practices and inefficiencies.
“Some PCOs had too much power — they could withhold approval or delay printing until they were ‘settled’. That abuse ends now,” he declared.
According to the minister, centralising the approval process will remove the discretion previously abused by individual officers, thereby curbing corruption, eliminating delays, and restoring the integrity of Nigeria’s travel documents.
“We realised that the best way to fight corruption is to minimise human contact. Passport approvals will no longer rest with PCOs. My duty isn’t to be liked — it’s to deliver results. Let Nigerians be happy,” he added.
He further stressed that the reforms are also focused on ensuring that only genuine Nigerian citizens are issued passports.
“My responsibility is not just to make passports available, but to ensure that only Nigerians hold them. If you’re not a Nigerian, you cannot have our passport. This is about national integrity,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo cited previous instances of foreigners illegally obtaining Nigerian passports, including a Ugandan woman arrested at Lagos Airport after paying $1,000 for a Nigerian passport. He assured the public that such cases would no longer be possible under the new system.
“Our passport must remain a true symbol of Nigerian identity,” he