The federal government has unveiled a Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja.
The project is part of efforts to modernise the passport system, reduce delays, and deliver passports within one week.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who inspected the facility on Thursday, described it as a “game-changer” that will end the frustrations Nigerians face in securing documents for international travel.
“This centre allows passports to be printed within 24 hours and delivered within seven days. No Nigerian should wait endlessly for a document that defines their identity,” he said.
The new facility, the first since the NIS was founded in 1963, has machines that personalise over 1,000 passports per hour. Previously, the service produced only 250–300 daily. Now, it can handle 4,500 to 5,000 passports each day.
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Tunji-Ojo further announced the unification of Nigeria’s two passport series into a single regime. He also confirmed the country’s full migration to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Public Key Directory, which allows global authentication of Nigerian passports.
According to him, the government has already cleared a backlog of more than 200,000 applications. “With this centralisation, we are not just improving speed. We are ensuring quality and accountability,” he explained.
He stressed that the new system will boost transparency, cut processing time from weeks to hours, and align Nigeria with global best practices seen in the US, UK, France, and India.
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The minister credited the success of the project to President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to public sector reform. He also emphasised that efficient service delivery is a right, not a privilege.
“What we’ve done is to institutionalise excellence. This is not a favour; it is the right of every Nigerian to be served efficiently,” he said.
In addition, the reform programme eliminates discrepancies between old passport versions. Nigeria’s integration into ICAO standards will also ensure that Nigerian passports are recognised worldwide.
Finally, Tunji-Ojo commended IRIS Smart Technologies Ltd, the government’s technical partner, for executing the project through a strategic arrangement that required no direct draw from public funds.
“This project underscores our resolve to build enduring institutions rather than systems dependent on individuals,” he said.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
