The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has transitioned to a single, centralized system for passport production, marking a significant reform milestone 62 years after its establishment.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced this development on Thursday while inspecting the new Centralized Passport Personalization Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
The new system could produce 4,500 to 5,000 passports daily, a significant increase from the old machines’ capacity of 250 to 300 passports per day.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He also explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
He said the centralised production system aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for better service delivery.
