In a historic policy shift, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has shut down decentralised passport production and consolidated the process into a single, centralised facility, the first such system in the country’s 62-year history.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the breakthrough on Thursday, September 18, 2025, during an inspection of the newly inaugurated Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS headquarters in Abuja.
Since the agency’s creation in 1963, passport production had been dispersed across multiple centres, often plagued by inefficiency, delays, and inconsistencies. Tunji-Ojo described the new model as a “game-changer” for service delivery.
“The project is now 100 per cent ready. With this reform, Nigeria will become more productive and efficient in processing passports,” he declared.
According to the minister, the obsolete machines previously in use could produce only 250 to 300 passports daily. In contrast, the central system boasts a massive capacity of between 4,500 and 5,000 passports per day, enabling the NIS to meet daily demand in just four to five hours of operations.
The minister emphasised that the reform aligns with global best practices, ensuring uniformity, security, and improved international credibility of Nigerian passports.
“We promised Nigerians two-week delivery, but with this technology, we are working towards reducing it to just one week. Automation and optimisation are key to keeping that promise,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He stressed that centralisation would not only enhance integrity and consistency but also embody President Bola Tinubu’s broader reform agenda, aimed at driving efficiency across critical government services.
“The centralised system represents a total overhaul of the passport production process,” Tunji-Ojo added, noting that it would bring services closer to citizens and redefine public expectations of the NIS.
