The Federal Government has defended its decision to increase Nigerian passport fees to N100,000 and N200,000, saying the new pricing structure is necessary to sustain quality, curb corruption, and guarantee faster delivery of travel documents.
According to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), beginning September 1, 2025, passport applications made within Nigeria will now cost N100,000 for the 32-page booklet with five-year validity and N200,000 for the 64-page booklet with 10-year validity. Nigerians abroad will continue to pay $150 and $230 for the respective booklets.
This latest hike comes just a year after the government increased the fees in August 2024, when the 32-page passport rose from N35,000 to N50,000, and the 64-page from N70,000 to N100,000.
Defending the new fees during the Ministry of Interior’s mid-tenure retreat in Abuja, Minister of Interior Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the review was designed to put an end to long delays and extortion in passport processing.
“Our target is clear: within one week of enrolment, every Nigerian should have their passport in hand,” he said, stressing that reforms were aimed at both speed and integrity.
The minister revealed that his administration inherited a backlog of passport applications that once took up to six months to process. Some Nigerians were forced to pay as much as N200,000 in bribes to fast-track applications. “Even my own daughter once faced this problem. I had to pay hundreds of thousands just to get her passport at 12 years old. That era is over,” Tunji-Ojo noted.
A new centralised personalisation centre in Abuja, said to be the largest in Africa, has boosted capacity, allowing the NIS to print five times more passports than the country currently requires. This, according to the minister, ensures passports can be vetted within 24 hours, eliminating unnecessary bottlenecks.
He further announced that Passport Control Officers (PCOs) will no longer have the power to delay or approve applications, a move designed to eliminate human interference and corruption in the process. “Some PCOs abused their authority by holding applications until they were settled. That abuse of power ends now,” he declared.
Tunji-Ojo also underscored the importance of safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s passport. “It’s not just about making passports available, it’s about ensuring that only Nigerians carry them. In the past, foreigners were able to buy Nigerian passports illegally. That cannot continue. Our passport must remain a true symbol of Nigerian identity.”
With the reforms, the Federal Government insists that the upward review of passport fees will not only sustain the quality of travel documents but also restore credibility, protect national security, and ensure Nigerians receive efficient service delivery without the need for bribery or long waits.
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