Former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has faulted the decision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to increase the cost of obtaining Nigerian international passports, describing it as another burden on already struggling citizens.
The Federal Government recently raised the fee for a 32-page passport booklet to N100,000, while the 64-page booklet now costs N200,000. Obi noted that the new charges surpass the recently approved minimum wage of N70,000, making the international passport more expensive than a Nigerian worker’s monthly earnings.
Reacting via his X handle on Thursday night, the former Anambra State governor expressed disappointment at what he termed the administration’s “legendary obsession” with imposing hardship on Nigerians.
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Obi wrote: “The obsession of this administration with putting a burden on the populace is becoming legendary and continues to reveal its apparent disconnect with the people and the suffering.
“The International Passport fees in Nigeria have now skyrocketed to ₦100,000 for a 32-page booklet and ₦200,000 for 64 pages. This is the third increase in just two years.
“In a country where the new minimum wage is only ₦70,000, the cost of a single passport now exceeds a worker’s monthly salary, probably the only country in the world to achieve this feat.
“Instead of making life easier, this government keeps shifting the burden onto ordinary Nigerians.
“It is alarming that the price of the international passport is higher than what workers earn in a month.”
The increase in passport fees has continued to generate widespread criticism, with many Nigerians echoing Obi’s concerns about affordability and the impact on low-income earners.
