The Federal Government has upgraded Nigeria’s passport production system to meet international standards, with the capacity to process up to 5,000 passports daily.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Wednesday during an inspection of the newly inaugurated Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja.
He said the development, part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, has eliminated backlogs and ended long delays in passport processing. Nigerians, he added, can now obtain approved passports within 24 hours.
“The era of backlogs and manual personalisation is over. Nigerians can now expect faster, more reliable service as we strengthen the integrity of our travel documents,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
The minister explained that Nigeria now joins countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and India in deploying advanced passport systems that enhance speed, transparency, and global authentication.
He also commended the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mrs. Kemi Nandap, and other senior officials for their contributions to the reform.
According to him, the project was delivered through a partnership with IRIS Smart Technologies Ltd. without direct government funding.
Production capacity has now increased from 250–300 booklets per machine daily to between 4,500 and 5,000, a milestone Tunji-Ojo described as one of the most significant in the 62-year history of the NIS.
“This project underscores our resolve to build enduring institutions rather than systems dependent on individuals,” he said, adding that the achievement has restored global confidence in Nigeria’s travel