The Federal Government has justified the recent increase in Nigerian passport application fees, stressing that the decision is crucial for maintaining document quality, tackling corruption, and ensuring faster service delivery.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) spokesperson, ACI AS Akinlabi, the revised fees will take effect from September 1, 2025. Under the new structure, applicants in Nigeria will pay N100,000 for a 32-page passport with five-year validity and N200,000 for a 64-page passport valid for ten years.
However, the NIS clarified that passport fees for Nigerians abroad remain unchanged at $150 (32-page, five-year validity) and $230 (64-page, ten-year validity). The Service explained that the adjustment was designed to strengthen the integrity of the travel document and improve the efficiency of its issuance.
This marks the second upward review in just over a year, following the August 2024 adjustment which raised the 32-page, five-year passport from N35,000 to N50,000, and the 64-page, ten-year passport from N70,000 to N100,000.
Speaking at the Ministry of Interior’s mid-tenure performance retreat in Abuja, Interior Minister Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the hike was necessary to guarantee timely delivery and eliminate entrenched corruption in the process.
“Our target is clear: within one week of enrolment, every Nigerian should receive their passport. It’s about delivering speed and quality, ensuring that the passport reflects the integrity of our nation,” the minister stated.
He recalled how widespread delays and extortion previously forced applicants to wait several months or pay up to N200,000 to expedite applications. Sharing a personal experience, Tunji-Ojo revealed that even as a former lawmaker, he once had to pay hundreds of thousands to secure a passport for his daughter.
The minister noted that reforms, including the establishment of Africa’s largest centralised personalisation centre, now enable the NIS to print five times more passports than required, with applications vetted within 24 hours.
He further announced that Passport Control Officers (PCOs) would no longer have discretionary powers over approvals, as the process has been centralised to minimise human interference and corruption.
“Some PCOs wielded excessive power, delaying approvals until they were ‘settled.’ That era has ended,” Tunji-Ojo declared.
He also stressed that the reforms will not only make passports more accessible but also preserve their credibility by preventing misuse by non-citizens.
“My duty is to ensure passports are both available and exclusive to Nigerians. Our passport must remain a true emblem of national identity,” the minister concluded.
