This means passport applicants can now apply for their passports and pick up processed ones on Saturdays.

Speaking to NAN on the development on Saturday, September 14, 2019, the public relations officer of the passport office, Uju Grace said the office ran shifts to ease the burden and guard against undue backlogs.

Corroborating Uju, the passport control officer of the Ikoyi office, Mannir Yari, said the extension of workdays was introduced by the office to ensure Nigerians accessed NIS service delivery speedily.

“Ikoyi passport is where you can apply and get your passport in a week, in fact, our office has cleared all backlog of the old passport.

“We are just waiting for applicants to come for collection,” he said.

An anonymous applicant, who spoke to NAN on the development commended the Ikoyi passport office for amking effort to meet the demands of applicants. 

“I advise the Federal government to employ more hands to meet these ever-increasing demands.

“More Nigerians troop to this office to seek for passports, although the banks within NIS premises provide seats and conducive environment for applicants.”

Yetunde Maja, another applicant, decried the time wasted on queues to collect the passports.

“I was scheduled for Friday to collect my passport; however, I have been here close to three hours,” she said.

“Although the queue is moving gradually.”

Complaints about the laborious process involved in applying and getting a Nigerian passport at the Ikoyi office before now was very common.