The Digest:
The Federal Government has ended decentralized passport production after 62 years, launching a single Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre in Abuja to boost efficiency, security, and daily output. Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announced the reform, hailing it as a milestone in Nigeria’s immigration service history.
Key Points
- Passport production is now centralized at the NIS Headquarters, ending decades of multi-center operations.
- Daily production capacity has increased from 250–300 to 4,500–5,000 passports.
- The new system can meet daily demand within 4–5 hours of operation.
- Minister Tunji-Ojo pledged reduced processing times, aiming for one-week delivery.
- Centralization aligns with global standards, enhancing document integrity and uniformity.
- The reform supports President Tinubu’s broader public service modernization agenda.
- The facility was developed without direct government funding, via a partnership with IRIS Smart Technologies.
This transformative shift addresses long-standing inefficiencies and backlogs, signaling a new era of reliability and trust in Nigeria’s immigration services.
Sources: Punch Newspapers, NAN
