The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has made a significant breakthrough in passport production, with Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announcing that the service can now deliver 4,000 to 5,000 passports in just five hours.
This marks a major milestone in the agency’s 62-year history.
Tunji – Ojo also disclosed this in a statement on Thursday after inspecting the newly built Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
With the infrastructure, the Minister further said the Service could personalise over 1,000 passports in one hour, up from 250 to 300 passports daily.
His words: “This morning (Thursday), alongside the Permanent Secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani, and the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nanna Nandap, I inspected the newly built Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS headquarters in Abuja.
“With these strategic infrastructural investments, which did not cost a kobo to the government, the NIS can now personalise over 1,000 passports in one hour:, he added.
According to him, “To put it into perspective, long before this development, the service could only record an average of 250 to 300 passports daily. But today, under five work hours, the service can now deliver about 4,500 to 5,000 passports.
“As a major milestone, for the first time in 62 years of the service [NIS], this centralisation puts an end to the production of our passports at multiple centres across the world,” he stated.
Key Highlights from the Minister’s briefing were:
– *Increased Production Capacity*: The NIS can now personalise over 1,000 passports in one hour, a significant increase from the previous average of 250-300 passports daily.
– *Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre*: The new facility, inspected by Tunji-Ojo on Thursday, enables the service to meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation.
– *No Cost to Government*: The strategic infrastructural investments did not cost the government a kobo, making it a cost-effective solution.
Impact on Passport Services:
– *Reduced Processing Time*: The NIS aims to reduce passport processing time from two weeks to just one week, making it more efficient for citizens.
– *Uniformity and Integrity*: The centralisation project ensures uniformity in passport production, enhancing the integrity of Nigerian travel documents internationally.
Quotes from Minister Tunji-Ojo:
– “With these strategic infrastructural investments, which did not cost a kobo to the government, the NIS can now personalise over 1,000 passports in one hour.”
– “As a major milestone, for the first time in 62 years of the service [NIS], this centralisation puts an end to the production of our passports at multiple centres across the world.”
This development is expected to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of passport services in Nigeria, making it easier for citizens to obtain passports in a timely manner.
