The Federal Government has justified the recent upward review of Nigerian passport fees, stating that the increase is essential to enhance the quality, efficiency, and integrity of the passport issuance process while curbing corruption. Effective September 1, 2025, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has set new fees for applications made within Nigeria at N100,000 for a 32-page, five-year validity passport and N200,000 for a 64-page, 10-year validity passport.
In a statement released on Thursday, the NIS Public Relations Officer, ACI AS Akinlabi, clarified that the fee adjustment applies only to applications processed in Nigeria. Nigerians in the diaspora will continue to pay $150 for the 32-page passport and $230 for the 64-page passport. The NIS explained that the hike aims to maintain the integrity of Nigerian passports and streamline issuance processes.
This marks the second fee adjustment in just over a year, following an increase in August 2024, when the 32-page passport fee rose from N35,000 to N50,000, and the 64-page passport from N70,000 to N100,000. The NIS had cited the need to sustain quality and improve service delivery at the time.
Speaking at the Ministry of Interior’s mid-tenure performance retreat in Abuja on Thursday, Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, defended the latest hike, emphasizing its role in ensuring timely passport delivery and eliminating corruption. “Our target is clear: within one week of enrolment, every Nigerian should have their passport in hand. We are delivering not just quickly, but with quality that reflects our national integrity,” Tunji-Ojo said.
The minister highlighted past inefficiencies, including a six-month backlog that was cleared in just two and a half weeks under his leadership. He recounted personal experiences of delays and extortion, noting that even his 12-year-old daughter faced challenges obtaining a passport despite his position as a former House Committee Chairman. “That era of endless delays and paying hundreds of thousands to fast-track processing is over,” he declared.
Tunji-Ojo announced significant reforms, including the establishment of Africa’s largest centralized passport personalisation center, capable of printing five times the current demand. “Once you enrol, vetting takes no more than 24 hours. Printing capacity is no longer an issue,” he said.
To curb corruption, the minister revealed that Passport Control Officers (PCOs) will no longer have the authority to approve or delay applications. “Some PCOs abused their power, delaying passports until they were paid off. That ends now,” he stated, adding that centralizing the approval process will minimize human contact and restore credibility to Nigeria’s travel documents.
The reforms also aim to protect the integrity of Nigerian passports. Tunji-Ojo cited past abuses, such as a case where a Ugandan woman was arrested at Lagos Airport with a fraudulently obtained Nigerian passport after paying $1,000. “Our passport must remain a true symbol of Nigerian identity. Only Nigerians should carry it,” he stressed.
The minister urged Nigerians to support the reforms, assuring them that the changes would ensure efficiency, transparency, and national pride in the passport issuance process.
