The Federal Government has defended its recent decision to raise the cost of obtaining passports to N100,000 and N200,000.
On Thursday, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) announced that the revised charges will take effect from September 1, 2025.
Under the new structure, the 32-page passport with five-year validity will cost N100,000, while the 64-page booklet with ten-year validity will be N200,000 for applications within Nigeria.
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Fees for Nigerians applying abroad, however, will remain at $150 and $230.
This development represents the second major upward review in just over a year. In August 2024, the 32-page passport rose from N35,000 to N50,000, while the 64-page version increased from N70,000 to N100,000. With the latest changes, the cost has effectively doubled, signalling a significant shift in the pricing of Nigerian travel documents.
Speaking at a mid-tenure performance retreat in Abuja, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the adjustment is necessary to enhance service delivery, curb corruption, and accelerate processing timelines.
Tunji-Ojo said the new fees are tied to reforms aimed at eliminating bottlenecks and corrupt practices that have long undermined the passport issuance system.
“Our target is clear: within one week of enrolment, every Nigerian should have their passport in hand. Not just timely delivery, but quality passports that reflect our integrity as a nation,” he said.
The minister noted that in the past, some applicants endured delays of up to seven months or were forced to pay bribes of as much as N200,000 to fast-track the process. He shared his personal encounter with the system, recalling that he once had to pay large sums to secure a passport for his daughter despite holding public office.
“Even when I was chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, I had to pay hundreds of thousands to get a passport for my 12-year-old daughter. That era is over,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He added that government investments have resulted in the establishment of a centralised passport personalisation centre, said to be the largest in Africa, capable of producing passports five times faster than before and delivering approvals within 24 hours.
A critical part of the reform, according to him, is the withdrawal of approval powers from Passport Control Officers (PCOs) to prevent abuse.
“Some PCOs had so much power that they could decide not to print a passport until they were settled. That abuse of power ends now,” the minister declared.
Tunji-Ojo further stressed that beyond service improvements, the reforms are meant to protect the authenticity of Nigerian passports amid growing concerns over fraud.
“My responsibility is not just to make passports available, but to ensure that anybody carrying it is a Nigerian. If you are not a Nigerian, you cannot carry it. It’s about our national integrity,” he said.
Citing one example, he pointed to the recent arrest of a Ugandan woman at Lagos Airport after she allegedly paid $1,000 to acquire a Nigerian passport illegally.
The minister said the new centralised system will minimise human interference and help safeguard the credibility of Nigeria’s travel documents.