IN a landmark reform aimed at transforming Nigeria’s passport issuance process, the Federal Government has officially ended the era of passport production across multiple centres, inaugurating a single, centralised production system for the first time in 62 years.
News Point Nigeria reports that Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the development on Thursday during an inspection tour of the newly completed Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Headquarters in Abuja.
He noted that since the establishment of the NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production hub, a challenge that had led to bottlenecks, inconsistencies, and prolonged processing times across different regions.
“For the first time since 1963, we have a single, centralised passport production system. This is a historic milestone and a game-changer for Nigeria’s passport regime,” Tunji-Ojo declared.
Explaining the scale of improvement, the minister revealed that the new system significantly increases daily passport production capacity.
“Previously, the old machines could only produce between 250 and 300 passports per day. With this centralised system, we can now produce between 4,500 and 5,000 passports daily enough to meet national demand in just four to five hours of operation,” he said.
According to Tunji-Ojo, this leap in capacity means Nigerians can expect quicker processing times.
“We promised Nigerians a two-week turnaround for passport delivery. With this upgrade, we are now pushing toward a one-week delivery timeline. This is what automation and optimisation look like,” he added.
The minister emphasised that the centralisation aligns Nigeria with global best practices, ensuring uniformity in passport design, data security, and production quality.
He also stressed that the reform would boost the integrity of Nigerian travel documents, making them more secure and widely respected internationally.
“This is about more than just efficiency, it is about restoring trust, protecting the identity of Nigerians, and enhancing the credibility of our passports around the world,” he stated.
Tunji-Ojo described the centralised passport production system as a critical pillar of President Bola Tinubu’s broader reform agenda, aimed at modernising public services and cutting bureaucratic delays.
“President Tinubu is determined to change the narrative of service delivery in Nigeria. This centre reflects that vision — one of efficiency, accountability, and citizen-focused governance,” he said.
“Our target is simple: a seamless passport experience for every Nigerian, whether at home or in the diaspora,” Tunji-Ojo concluded.
