Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo
Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has shifted from decentralized passport production to a single, centralized system, marking a historic change after 62 years.
On Thursday, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, announced this development during an inspection of the new Centralized Passport Personalization Centre at NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
He highlighted that since its inception in 1963, the NIS had never operated a centralized passport production system until this reform.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He revealed that outdated machines previously produced only 250 to 300 passports daily, whereas the new system can handle 4,500 to 5,000 passports per day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, calling it a transformative step 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 emphasized.
He explained that centralization aligns with global standards, ensuring greater uniformity and strengthening the integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo noted that this reform brings services closer to Nigerians while fostering efficiency and overhauling the passport system.
He stressed that the centralized system supports President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, enhancing NIS capacity and improving service delivery.
(NAN)
