The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced that Nigerians can now obtain their passports within 24 hours, following major reforms in the country’s passport production process.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja after inspecting the data personalisation centre at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters, the minister explained that a newly installed machine now produces about 1,000 passports per hour, enabling the agency to print between 4,500 and 5,000 daily.
“The system we now have is a game-changer. The old machines produced only 250 to 300 passports per machine daily. The new system produces about 1,000 per hour, giving us a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports per day. This means that the NIS can now meet demand within a standard four to five-hour workday. Applicants whose requests are approved can now expect their passports to be printed within 24 hours,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He added that the reform would significantly improve service delivery, efficiency, and accountability. The minister also disclosed that the government has unified the passport system, ending the previous dual-series arrangement of “A” and “B.”
“With the support of our technical partner, IRISMAT, we now have a single passport regime. This eliminates duplication, ensures uniformity, and strengthens the integrity of our travel documents,” he noted.
