FG Justifies Passport Fee Hike to N100,000, N200,000
ABUJA — The Federal Government has defended the recent increase in passport fees, stating that the move is aimed at improving service delivery, eliminating corruption, and ensuring the integrity of Nigeria’s travel documents.
Effective September 1, 2025, the cost of obtaining a passport within Nigeria will rise to N100,000 for the 32-page, five-year validity passport, and N200,000 for the 64-page, 10-year validity passport. This was announced on Thursday by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) via a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, ACI AS Akinlabi.
The NIS clarified that the price adjustment applies only to applications within Nigeria, while Nigerians in the diaspora will continue paying $150 and $230 for the same booklets, respectively.
Justification for the Increase
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, defended the fee hike during a mid-tenure performance retreat in Abuja, stressing that the revision is part of broader reforms to modernize passport issuance and stamp out entrenched corruption in the system.
“Our target is clear: within one week of enrolment, every Nigerian should receive their passport,” the minister said. “We are not just focused on faster delivery, but also on delivering quality documents that reflect our national identity and integrity.”
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Tunji-Ojo revealed that past inefficiencies led to widespread extortion, with some Nigerians paying up to N200,000 to expedite passport processing. ironically, now the official price for the 10-year passport.
He shared a personal story to highlight the problem: “Even as chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, I had to pay hundreds of thousands just to get a passport for my 12-year-old daughter. That era is over.”
New System to Curb Corruption
A key component of the reform is the centralised passport personalisation system, which is now the largest in Africa. According to the minister, the facility allows for five times the current printing needs and significantly reduces the time required for processing.
“Once you enrol, it doesn’t take more than 24 hours to complete vetting. Printing capacity is no longer our problem,” he explained.
Additionally, Passport Control Officers (PCOs) will no longer have the power to approve or delay passport applications. A move designed to eliminate abuse of power and bribery.
“Some PCOs delayed printing until they were settled. That abuse ends now. Passport approvals are now centralised to remove unnecessary human interference,” the minister said.
National Security and Identity Integrity
Tunji-Ojo emphasized that the reforms go beyond efficiency they are also about protecting the Nigerian identity.
“My responsibility is not just to make passports available, but to ensure that anyone carrying a Nigerian passport is truly Nigerian,” he said.
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Citing past incidents of fraud, he recounted a case where a Ugandan woman was arrested at Lagos Airport with a Nigerian passport purchased for $1,000.
“Our passport must remain a true symbol of national identity. We cannot allow foreigners to illegally acquire our documents,” the minister declared.
Previous Increases
The latest price review follows an earlier adjustment in August 2024, when the passport fees were raised from N35,000 to N50,000 for the 32-page booklet and from N70,000 to N100,000 for the 64-page version.
At the time, the NIS said the increase was necessary to improve passport quality and enhance the application process.
Content Credit: Ohidah Oluwaferanmi
Image Credit: Vanguardnews.com
