The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has stated that the federal government is unable to subsidize passport fees amid recent adjustments.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja to mark his first year in office, he justified the increase in passport fees, linking it to the fluctuating exchange rate between the naira and the dollar.
In August, the Nigerian Immigration Service announced a rise in fees for Nigerian Standard Passports.
Under the new structure, the cost for a 32-page passport with a five-year validity has increased from N35,000 to N50,000, while the price for a 64-page passport with a ten-year validity has risen from N70,000 to N100,000. This fee hike has drawn disappointment from many Nigerians, who feel the government is making migration (referred to as “japa”) more costly.
Tunji-Ojo clarified that the increased fees do not apply to Nigerians living abroad and emphasized that the government is not taking advantage of citizens but merely aiming to cover the expenses of passport production.
He remarked, “The increase in passport fees is a matter of cost-benefit analysis. If the government were to subsidize anything, it shouldn’t be passports. The adjustment is a 45% increase from N35,000 to N50,000.”
He also announced upcoming improvements in passport acquisition for Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly those in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
“We are set to pre-launch automated systems for passport processing soon, with full operations by October.
For example, we currently have 16,000 Nigerians applying for passports in London, while our Embassy can only handle about 200 at a time. With the new system, there will be no need for multiple trips across the globe to obtain a passport.”
The minister further noted that all backlogs related to passport processing have been cleared, and the Nigeria Immigration Service is up to date with payments to its service providers for passport printing and supply.
“We now have approximately 80,000 passports in stock, including both the 32-page and 64-page booklets,” he added.
