NIS Clarifies Passport Centralization Reform, Says Processing, Issuance Remain Unaffected Nationwide
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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has dismissed concerns over its ongoing Passport Centralization Reform, assuring Nigerians that passport processing and issuance remain fully operational at all passport offices across the country and designated Nigerian embassies and consulates abroad.
The Service explained that the ongoing migration of passport production from individual passport offices to the Central Personalization Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja is an operational reform designed to strengthen the security, integrity and efficiency of Nigeria’s passport issuance system, and does not in any way suspend passport services.
In a statement signed by the Service Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Immigration (DCI) Akinsola Akinlabi, on Wednesday, the NIS said the reform is part of a broader modernization programme aligned with international best practices.
According to the statement, the implementation is being carried out in five phases to minimise operational risks, prevent service disruptions and ensure a smooth transition across passport offices within Nigeria and designated foreign missions.
The Service disclosed that the first phase, completed in January 2025, covered passport offices in Plateau, Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, Kogi, Borno and Yobe states, as well as 30 Nigerian missions across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and Oceania.
The second phase, concluded in March 2026, brought passport offices in the South-East, Gwagwalada in the FCT, selected offices in the South-West and five European missions into the centralized production system.
The third phase, completed in June 2026, onboarded passport offices in Edo, Delta, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Kaduna, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states, alongside additional missions in France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The fourth phase, scheduled for August 2026, will include passport offices in Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Kano, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states.
The fifth and final phase, expected to be completed before the end of 2026, will cover passport offices in Lagos, including Ikoyi, Festac, Alausa, Alimosho and Ikorodu, as well as selected foreign missions in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
Under the new framework, the NIS said all passport booklet printing and security personalization have been consolidated at a secure, high-capacity production centre at the Service Headquarters in Abuja.
It added that completed passports would be dispatched to passport offices nationwide and designated foreign missions within two weeks, while the passport offices would continue to receive applications, process requests and issue passports to applicants.
The Service noted that the centralized system eliminates manual intervention during passport personalization, curbs document arbitrage, strengthens accountability and ensures uniform quality standards through advanced security features embedded in every Nigerian passport.
The NIS urged applicants to continue accessing passport services at their preferred passport offices, assuring the public of its commitment to deploying technology-driven solutions that enhance service delivery while protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s passport system.
