Friday, August 29, 2025 - The Federal Government has justified its decision to double passport fees to N100,000 and N200,000, arguing the increase is essential to improve service quality, eliminate corruption, and speed up document processing.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) announced on Thursday
that new charges will take effect from 1st September 2025 for passport
applications within Nigeria. The 32-page, five-year passport will cost
N100,000, whilst the 64-page, 10-year version will be priced at N200,000.
However, fees for Nigerians applying from abroad will remain unchanged at $150
and $230, respectively.
The announcement marks the second significant fee increase
in just over a year. In August 2024, the government approved substantial hikes
that saw the 32-page booklet rise from N35,000 to N50,000, and the 64-page
version jump from N70,000 to N100,000. The latest increase effectively doubles
those already elevated charges, marking a dramatic shift in the cost of
obtaining Nigerian travel documents.
Speaking at a mid-tenure performance retreat in Abuja,
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo stated that the new pricing structure was
designed to address long-standing issues with passport issuance, including
lengthy delays and systemic extortion.
“Our target is clear: within one week of enrolment, every
Nigerian should have their passport in hand. Not just timely delivery, but
quality passports that reflect our integrity as a nation,” he said.
The minister explained that under the previous system,
applicants sometimes endured waits of up to seven months or were forced to pay
bribes as high as N200,000 to expedite their applications. Tunji-Ojo shared his
own experience of the flawed system, describing how he was compelled to pay
substantial bribes even whilst serving as a senior government official.
“Even when I was chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, I
had to pay hundreds of thousands to get a passport for my 12-year-old daughter.
That era is over,” he said.
The government also says it has invested in a centralised
personalisation centre, which it claims is the largest of its kind in Africa.
This facility can reportedly print passports five times faster than the
previous system, with approvals now completed within 24 hours.
A key reform involves stripping Passport Control Officers
(PCOs) of their authority to approve or delay applications, a change the
minister described as crucial for eliminating corruption. “Some PCOs had so
much power that they could decide not to print a passport until they were
settled. That abuse of power ends now,” Tunji-Ojo declared.
The minister also emphasised that the reforms were designed
to safeguard the integrity of Nigerian travel documents, citing security
concerns about fraudulent passports. “My responsibility is not just to make
passports available, but to ensure that anybody carrying it is a Nigerian. If
you are not a Nigerian, you cannot carry it. It’s about our national
integrity,” he said.
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