The Federal Authorities has introduced that it has issued greater than 3.5 million passports in lower than two years, whereas saving over N1 billion yearly by ongoing reforms within the system.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Tuesday in the course of the inauguration of a brand new passport entrance workplace by the ministry in Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo defined that the reforms align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aiming to spice up effectivity, safety, and general service supply.
He added that the ministry had totally automated the add of breeder paperwork, equivalent to start and marriage certificates, beforehand costing the federal government N1 billion yearly.
“It is a main reform. We not pay contractors for companies that Nigerians can now carry out themselves. The cash stays inside the authorities,” he mentioned.
He additionally revealed that 3,080,141 passports have been issued domestically and 466,117 within the diaspora since August 2023.
The minister additionally revealed that the administration inherited over 200,000 backlogged passport functions and a debt of practically N20 billion
He confirmed that each the backlog and debt had been utterly cleared since taking workplace.
“We have now ended passport shortage. By no means once more will Nigerians queue endlessly or be denied entry to identification,” he mentioned.
The minister additional introduced that enhanced e-passport centres had elevated from 26 to 44 nationwide, and from 5 to 47 abroad.
Tunji-Ojo mentioned all passport workplaces now challenge harmonized enhanced passports in accordance with world finest practices.
“We inherited a system with inconsistent passport sorts, which affected credibility. Now, each Nigerian passport is ICAO-compliant and globally verifiable,” he acknowledged.
Talking on the brand new passport entrance workplace, Tunji-Ojo mentioned it expands entry and strengthens doc integrity by digital processes.
He described the launch as a major step in easing entry to journey paperwork for public servants.
He lamented that till 2023, the Inside Ministry supervising NIS lacked a passport workplace of its personal.
He famous that the brand new central personalization centre, with trendy know-how from Iris Good Applied sciences, could be operational by August.
He recommended Iris Good Applied sciences for offering superior gear for gratis to the federal government.
In a coverage shift, the minister declared that by July 31, all SEPAC and TWP functions have to be accomplished on-line.
He warned that guide processing could be outlawed from that date.
“This authorities should know what it’s promoting and to whom. Biometrics and transparency are non-negotiable. We’re not in 1925; that is 2025.
“Guide processing shall be prohibited. We should accumulate biometrics and information from all candidates for nationwide safety,” he added.
Tunji-Ojo mentioned these reforms present the federal government’s dedication to digital governance, transparency, and environment friendly service supply.
He praised Iris Good Applied sciences for supplying workstations and biometric instruments for the brand new passport workplace freed from cost.
The identical accomplice, he mentioned, put in trendy personalization gear on the NIS headquarters, additionally for gratis to the federal government.
He appreciated ministry administrators and technical groups, urging their continued assist for enhancing service and public belief.
