The Federal Government has cleared a debt of over ₦20bn and resolved a backlog of more than 200,000 passport applications inherited before the Bola Tinubu administration assumed office.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of a new Passport Front Office under the Ministry.
He said the reforms, driven by President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, have also led to the issuance of over 3.5 million passports in less than two years.
“When we came in, there was a backlog of over 200,000 passports and nearly ₦20 billion in debt. Today, that backlog has been cleared, and the debt has been settled,” the minister said.
Out of the total passports issued since August 2023, 3,080,141 were processed locally, while 466,117 were issued in the diaspora—bringing the total to 3,546,258.
The minister attributed the success to sweeping reforms that also helped the government save over ₦1 billion annually.
He said a key move was the full automation of breeder document uploads, birth and marriage certificates, among others, which previously incurred huge costs through third-party contractors.
“This is a major reform. We no longer pay contractors for what Nigerians can upload themselves. That money stays with government now,” Tunji-Ojo said.
As part of efforts to enhance accessibility and security, the number of centres issuing enhanced e-passports has increased from 26 to 44 across Nigeria and from five to 47 in the diaspora.
All passport offices now issue harmonised, ICAO-compliant enhanced passports, replacing the previously inconsistent system that undermined Nigeria’s global credibility.
The minister also announced the upcoming launch of a central passport personalisation centre with state-of-the-art technology in August 2025.
The facility, funded by Iris Smart Technologies at no cost to the government, is expected to further strengthen Nigeria’s passport infrastructure.
Additionally, he said the country has joined the International Civil Aviation Organization Public Key Directory, enabling global authentication of Nigerian passports.
Reinforcing the government’s commitment to digital transformation and national security, Tunji-Ojo disclosed that beginning July 31, all applications for Special Expatriate Permits and Temporary Work Permits must be processed online.
“Manual processing will no longer be allowed. We must have the data, biometrics, and documentation of every applicant for national security,” he said.
The reforms, the minister noted, are aimed at delivering transparent, secure, and citizen-friendly services while eliminating waste and inefficiencies within the system.
