This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the spokesman for the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kenneth Udo, on the X handle of the NIS.

The increment aims to ensure the quality and integrity of the Nigerian Standard Passport, Udo said.

“As part of its efforts to maintain the quality and integrity of the Nigerian Standard Passport, the Federal Government has approved an upward review of the fees for the passport, effective from September 1, 2024.

“Based on the review, a 32-page passport booklet with five-year validity previously charged at N35,000 will now be N50,000 only; while a 64-page passport booklet with 10-year validity which was N70,000 will be N100,000,” the statement read.

The NIS said though it regretted “any inconvenience this increase might cause prospective applicants,” it assured Nigerians of “unwavering commitment to transparency and quality service delivery at all times.”

The newly launched system is designed to simplify and expedite the entire application process, providing a seamless experience for Nigerian citizens who are in need of a passport. 

The initiative aims to eliminate the long-standing challenges of the traditional application process by leveraging advanced technology and automation.

With the new system in place, applicants can expect a faster and more efficient way of applying for a passport, which in turn will help to reduce the time and effort required to obtain one.

This initiative aims to simplify and expedite the passport application process, providing a seamless experience for Nigerian citizens.

Enrolling for Your Passport in 5 Simple Steps:

Step 1: Access the Official Website

To initiate the passport application process, applicants are required to visit the official website. Here, users are prompted to fill in their National Identification Number (NIN) to enable automatic data retrieval from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). 

This step ensures accuracy in information and also enhances the overall efficiency of the application process.

Step 2: Complete Necessary Data Fields

After the automatic data retrieval, applicants proceed to complete other essential data fields as required by the system. This step ensures that all pertinent information is accurately captured, contributing to the overall integrity of the passport application.

Step 3: Upload Passport Photograph and Supporting Documents

Applicants are then prompted to upload their passport photograph, adhering to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards. 

Additionally, other supporting documents relevant to the application must be submitted at this stage. 

This meticulous documentation is important for the verification process and ensures the legitimacy of the passport application.

Step 4: Biometric Capture at Immigration Office

To enhance security measures, applicants are required to physically visit an Immigration Office for biometric capture. This step involves the collection of fingerprints and other biometric data, adding an extra layer of authentication to the passport application process. This physical presence requirement contributes to the overall security and credibility of the passport issuance.

Step 5: Passport Ready for Collection

Once the biometric capture is complete, applicants can expect their passports to be ready for collection within a swift timeframe of two weeks. This streamlined processing time is a notable improvement, ensuring that citizens receive their passports promptly and efficiently.

The minister had announced in December that the Federal Government was working to ensure a full automation system of passport application in the country.

At the time, the minister said the automated application system was “99% done,” adding that the process would include uploading passport photos and supporting documents.

Meanwhile, Ojo while inspecting facilities of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Abuja, alongside the Comptroller General of the Service, Wura-Ola Adepoju, on Monday, confirmed that Nigerians will be able to apply and complete their passport application process online without human contact.

The minister said that the ministry has commenced the training process that will lead to the live launching of the automation.

He said,

“We are good to go live.  We are starting the training and on January 8, the solution will be live and direct for Nigerians to have a good feel, a sweet experience based on the Renewed Hope of Mr President.

“We have been able to reduce human contact in passport acquisition to the minimum.”

He added that the initiative will improve the security architecture of the country, prompting a quick detection of fake passport applications and reducing bottlenecks. (Punch)

[Featured Image Credit]

Banks have recently been obliged to take extraordinary measures to fulfill their dollar obligations due to the country’s lack of FX.

Idris Jere, comptroller-general of the NIS, stated during a public hearing held by an ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives on Tuesday that the books are imported into the nation.

He said that the government’s “foreign exchange regulation policy and CBN’s refusal to grant access to forex for importation of the booklets” were to blame for the shortfall.

“We generate forex from the sale of passports but we do not have access to buy the same booklet and that is a challenge for NIS,” NAN quoted Jere as saying.

“The factors responsible for the scarcity of passports include the inability to set up passport-producing factories in Nigeria as its production is done abroad.

“The major seven components used for producing passports are sold in the international market and the assemblage and production are done in Malaysia.”

The new arrangement, which went into effect on April 1, was in response to the government’s directive to streamline the passport application, renewal, and issuance processes.

Nigerians seeking such verification at home will now pay N1000, while those in African countries will pay $5 and those from other countries will pay $15.

A statement from Mr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) confirmed that the development was a joint framework with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).

He explained that it was meant “to significantly improve the quality of service, accuracy, and speed of passport services through the timely verification of the National Identification Number (NIN).”

“This new arrangement is in furtherance of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy’s directive to streamline passport application, renewal, and issuance processes,” Adegoke added.

According to him: “NIMC and NIS have agreed on a revised applicant journey that will significantly improve the speed of passport issuance/re-issuance and reduce the traffic visiting the NIS office(s). “

“The NIN service, fees, and the new NIS process will go live on 1st April 2023.”

A statement from Mr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) confirmed that the development was a joint framework with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).

Nigeria Unsold Sofas could be Distributed Almost for Nothing (See Prices)
Unsold Luxury Sofas

He explained that it was meant “to significantly improve the quality of service, accuracy, and speed of passport services through the timely verification of the National Identification Number (NIN).”

“This new arrangement is in furtherance of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy’s directive to streamline passport application, renewal, and issuance processes,” Adegoke added.

According to him: “NIMC and NIS have agreed on a revised applicant journey that will significantly improve the speed of passport issuance/re-issuance and reduce the traffic visiting the NIS office(s). “

“The NIN service, fees, and the new NIS process will go live on 1st April 2023.”

Passengers must get their visa at the Ethiopian embassy in Abuja before beginning any trip there, according to a release made on Tuesday by the embassy.

The embassy does point out that the ban does not apply to travelers who are staying overnight in Addis Ababa.

According to the release “Passengers having a layover in Addis to travel the next morning to Zanzibar, Seychelles, Lusaka, Lilongwe, Harare, Cape Town, etc are not affected by the ban and do not need a transit visa for their trips.”

​This phenomenon has led to the popularization of a Yoruba word known as Japa ​(pronounced as Jakpa)

Japa means traveling abroad via relocation or scholarship. ​​Or to seek greener pastures in a foreign land. On a serious note, it means running away from a disastrous event.

Nigerian youths over the years have lost hope in the country as leadership failure continues to go worse. However, there is a belief amongst them that Nigeria might witness a turnaround in 2023 after the presidential election.

They hope that their preferred presidential candidate, Peter Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State gets into office having shown many signs of leadership traits the average youth looks forward to.

Regardless, it has not stopped Nigerians who can afford the cost to have a plan B. In the Nigerian context, having a plan B means getting ready to travel out of the country for survival.

According to the Federal Government, Nigerians received more than 1.9 million worth of passports between January 2021 and June 2022.

Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of the Interior, said 650,000 booklets were collected by Nigerians as of June 2022, out of a total of 1.3 million given in 2021.  

There is no longer a shortage of booklets in the nation, according to Aregbesola, who spoke on Tuesday at the launching of the Enhanced Passport Production Center in Port Harcourt.

Aregbesola claimed that enough booklets had been distributed across the various centers nationwide in a statement by his Media Adviser, Sola Fasure.

We have done everything in our power to ensure that Nigerians have access to passports, the statement said in part. 

“We gave Nigerians 1.3 million passports just last year. There is no lack of booklets in Nigeria as of right now. Out of the 750,000 applications received as of the second quarter of this year (in June), the NIS has issued 645,000 passports. We have dispatched 11,000 booklets to Ikoyi, 11,000 to Alausa, and 8,000 to FESTAC centers in Lagos to solve the issue of the backlog.

“We have also distributed enough pamphlets to all national centers to handle this issue.​ ​Therefore, there is once more no justification for a delay or a failure to issue within a fair amount of time,​” ​​the Minister said.

Why Nigerians are Leaving the Country?

According to a recent Open Doors Report, published by the Washington-based Institute of International Education (IIE), enrolment from Nigeria to American universities has been on the increase.

Nigerian students are increasingly fleeing the country in pursuit of tertiary education abroad due to issues with access, quality, funding, strikes, cultism, and the stability of the academic calendar in the education sector, especially in the public sector.

The young unemployment rate reached a record high of 42.5 percent. Also, due to the effects of unemployment, social vices like armed robbery, banditry, and kidnapping have intermittent surges, which makes it harder for the Federal Government to attract the investment​​t required for job development.

Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) recently in Lagos, bemoaned the high rate of unemployment among Nigerians, stating that roughly 40% of young people were jobless, during the lecture titled: “Nigeria-A Country of Many Nations: A Quest for National Integration.”

He acknowledges​​d that young people are dejected, irate, and restless as they consider a future that offers them little hope, but he also insisted that there is still hope since young people have a crucial role to play if the nation is to achieve its goal.

Poverty is also another reason Nigerians are leaving the country. According to the World Bank, in 2018 around 82.9 million Nigerians were extremely poor, and that number had risen to 90 million in 2021 due to high inflationary prices.

The National Bureau of Statistics’ most recent estimate of inflation, revealed that the country’s inflation increased to 18.60% in June, the highest level since January 2017, when it was 18.72%.

According to the NBS, in June 2022, the inflation rate rose to 18.60% on an annual basis. This is 0.84 percentage points higher than the rate, which was 17.75 percentage points in June 2021.

Can the Nigerian Government Benefit from the Japa Syndrome?

Olumide Adesina, a Quantum Economics investment expert, said that migration from Nigeria to other developed countries is advantageous to Nigeria and could increase FX liquidity.

“The largest economy in Africa benefits overall from emigration. For instance, by lowering the labour pool of the sending country, emigration helps to lower unemployment and improve the wages of the remaining workers.

“Also, emigrants from Nigeria frequently send money home, enhancing the standard of living for their families and contributing to the growth of domestic economies and trade balances.

“In recent decades, Nigeria’s influx of remittances from emigrants in Nigeria has increased substantially. These remittances enable foreign exchange earnings, foreign direct investment, aid, and other private capital investments.