Passport processing now 6 weeks, FG announces

The federal government says it is turning around the entire passport application process by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and shortening passport processing time to six weeks.

The statement from the ministry of interior promises that the process will now be seamless and transparent; and that it will accord human dignity to applicants and fulfil citizenship integrity, in line with the mandate of the ministry.

The passport application and processing system in Nigeria is often a tortuous, rigorous and bribe-induced one, with touts often milling at passport offices.

During a meeting with the Comptroller General of Immigration, Mohammad Babandede, as well as the attaches in Nigeria's Missions abroad, Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola said, "We have had several challenges in the past, including shortage of booklets, touting, racketeering, inflating the cost, passports being issued to ineligible persons, among others.

"It has become imperative therefore to review our operations and rejig our system, in order to be able to offer excellent services to our clients."

The minister added that efforts are underway to embed visible and invisible security operatives in all passport offices. "They will wear body cameras. They will detect and report any form of solicitations, inflation, improper communications, extortion, diversion, hoarding and other corrupt practices. Those caught will be dealt with according to the law," he stressed.

The minister disclosed that an ombudsman will also be created for members of the public to receive complaints and reports on officers trying to deviate from prescribed guidelines and subversion of the process.

"Therefore, I am declaring a zero-tolerance stance to all forms of touting. No applicant will be made to pay any illegitimate fees," Aregbesola declared.