In an official statement, Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has shed light on the rationale behind the recent adjustments to the conditions for acquiring or renewing Nigeria's international passports.
The primary objective, according to the minister, is to fortify the document's security features by ensuring it remains exclusive to Nigerian citizens. Addressing concerns about foreigners exploiting previous inefficiencies, Tunji-Ojo affirmed that the updated conditions would act as a deterrent for non-Nigerians seeking passport issuance.
Despite acknowledging challenges faced by applicants, the minister assured the public of imminent enhancements to streamline the process. The new conditions, encompassing citizenship and birth certificates, along with the National Identification Number (NIN), aim to verify applicants' true citizenship and simplify the acquisition process.
Tunji-Ojo emphasized the reform's goal of expediting online application, production, and passport collection for Nigerian citizens, debunking misconceptions and citing an impressive 4% hiccup rate in the new system's effectiveness.
