In a historic step towards reforming Nigeria’s passport issuance process, the Federal Government on Thursday inaugurated a Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Headquarters in Abuja.
The new facility, inspected by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, alongside the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, and the Comptroller General of NIS, Kemi Nanna Nandap, is equipped with high-speed machines capable of personalising over 1,000 passports per hour.
Speaking during the inspection, Tunji-Ojo described the project as a major milestone in the 62-year history of the service, noting that passport personalisation had previously been spread across multiple centres worldwide.
“With this centralised facility, Nigerians can be assured of faster, more transparent, and accountable passport production,” the Minister said. “From an average of 250–300 passports daily in the past, the NIS can now process between 4,500 and 5,000 passports in less than five hours.”
He further emphasised that the infrastructural upgrade, which came at no direct cost to the government, represents a practical manifestation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, especially in enhancing service delivery and eliminating bureaucratic delays.
Journalists who toured the facility were given technical demonstrations by project partners, showcasing the efficiency and capacity of the new system.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the centralisation will drastically reduce waiting times for applicants, eliminate unnecessary bottlenecks, and bring an end to delays that have long plagued the passport acquisition process.
“This is not just about machines; it is about restoring confidence in our institutions and delivering value to Nigerians without excuses,” Tunji Ojo added.
