
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo
By JOY ADARA, Abuja –
Nigerians residing in the United States are growing increasingly frustrated with the Nigerian Ministry of Interior, following a lack of response concerning crucial improvements to consular services.
This sentiment was expressed in a letter dated January 15, 2025, a copy of which was made available to newsmen.
The letter, signed by Olutomi Aregbesola, President of the Organization for Advancement of Nigerians (OAN), and twenty other organizations was addressed to Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Nigeria Minister of Interior.
The letter outlines the challenges faced by Nigerians attempting to secure passports, emphasizing the urgent need for the establishment of passport printers at Nigerian consulates in New York and Atlanta.
“Your Excellency, It is with a sense of disappointment that we write this letter on behalf of the Organization for Advancement of Nigerians (OAN, Inc.), New York, and its partner organizations.
One year ago, we submitted a letter to your office, highlighting the urgent need to establish passport printers at the Nigerian Consulates in New York and Atlanta.
“We expressed concerns about the heavy burden placed on the New York Consulate, the inefficiencies caused by centralized passport printing in Washington, D.C., and the security risks posed by immigration officers traveling to Washington monthly to print passports.
“To our dismay, we have neither received a formal response from your office nor witnessed any tangible action taken to address the issues raised in that letter.
“The silence from your office is both concerning and disheartening. It suggests a disregard for the plight of thousands of Nigerians living in the United States who continue to face undue stress and frustration in accessing consular services,” the letter partly read.
Concerned that the current centralized system in Washington, D.C., is excessively burdensome, Aregbesola pointed out that it places untold stress on the New York Consulate, which serves the largest jurisdiction in the U.S.
She noted that many Nigerians are stranded without valid passports, stating, “Your office’s failure to act on our recommendations has left many Nigerians stranded without valid passports, unable to travel for emergencies, work, or family commitments.
“The lack of passport printers in New York and Atlanta continues to cause unnecessary delays, creating a bottleneck that is entirely avoidable with the right infrastructure in place.
We must remind your office that the New York Consulate serves the largest jurisdiction in the United States, covering multiple states with a high concentration of Nigerian citizens.”
The letter also highlights the potential consequences of continued inaction, warning of growing public frustration among the Nigerian diaspora. “Many are losing confidence in the ability of the Nigerian government to provide basic consular services,” Aregbesola stated, cautioning that this erosion of trust could damage the relationship between Nigerians in the diaspora and their home country.
“This may also lead to another 2022 unfortunate aggression towards our fellow citizens at our consulates,” the President noted.
Moreover, she raised alarms over national security risks connected to the current passport printing arrangement, expressing concerns that it exposes Nigeria’s national database to potential security breaches.
“To put it simply, it is unacceptable that in 2025, Nigerians living in this region still have to endure significant delays and travel burdens simply to obtain passports,” she emphasized.
The OAN is not alone in its quest for improved services; the letter represents the frustration of multiple partner organizations, including the Igbo Organization, Nigerian Lawyers Association, and the Nigerian Nurses Association, among others.
Addressing the Minister, Aregbesola urged immediate action, stating, “The immediate deployment of passport printers to the New York and Atlanta Consulates will greatly alleviate the hardship Nigerians in the U.S. are currently experiencing.
she further stated that “As community leaders, we remain committed to working with your office to ensure the efficient delivery of consular services. However, we need to see a genuine commitment from your ministry to address this issue. Nigerians in the U.S. deserve better.
“We respectfully request that you acknowledge this letter and provide us with an update on any actions being taken to resolve the passport production issues at the New York and Atlanta Consulates. We remain hopeful that this matter will be treated with the urgency it deserves.”
For further information and assistance, the OAN encourages engagement through their website at www.oanweb.org.