Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who inspected the newly completed facility, hailed it as a “game-changer” that will transform Nigeria’s passport system. According to him, the centre will cut processing time dramatically, with passports now printable within 24 hours and ready for delivery in one week or less.
“This is the first time since the creation of the NIS in 1963 that Nigeria will operate a centralized passport personalization system of global standard—on par with the United States, the UK, France, Russia, India, and Bangladesh,” the Minister said.
Ending Inefficiency and Backlogs
Tunji-Ojo explained that until now, passports were produced in over 96 centres across Nigeria and overseas, a fragmented arrangement he described as both “vulnerable and inefficient.”
Under the new model, production is centralized, ensuring tighter control, better quality, and improved efficiency. The facility’s modern machines can produce up to 1,000 passports per hour, giving the NIS a daily capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 documents—a massive leap from the 250–300 daily output of the old system.
“Applicants whose requests are approved can now expect their passports to be printed within 24 hours,” he assured.
Key Reforms Introduced
Alongside centralization, the Interior Ministry has also:
- Unified Nigeria’s two passport series into a single regime in collaboration with technical partner Iris Smart Technologies.
- Fully migrated to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Public Key Directory, strengthening the authenticity and global credibility of Nigeria’s passport.
Tunji-Ojo recalled that his administration inherited a backlog of 204,000 applications, but emphasized that the new system—driven by automation—eliminates such challenges by minimizing human intervention.
“The era of backlogs is over. Officers no longer need to work day and night to clear applications. The process is now seamless, fast, and accountable,” he said.
Direct Impact on Citizens
The Minister highlighted that these reforms directly improve citizens’ experiences, cutting waiting times from weeks to just days.
“We promised two weeks’ delivery; today, we are moving towards one week or even less,” he said.
He thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support, alongside the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, the Comptroller-General of Immigration, NIS officers, and technical partners who helped deliver the project.
Tunji-Ojo described the centre as a milestone in government reforms, underscoring its role in service delivery, efficiency, and national identity management.
