The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Thursday officially closed 96 passport production centres nationwide, unveiling a single, centralised system to process passports for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the milestone during an inspection of the newly established Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
Since its establishment in 1963, NIS had never operated a centralised production facility, Tunji-Ojo noted, describing the launch as a “major reform in Nigeria’s passport system.”
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo revealed that the old passport machines could only produce between 250 and 300 passports daily, whereas the new centralised system can process 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this system, NIS can now meet daily passport demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he said, calling it a “game-changer” for Nigerian travellers.
The minister added that while the service previously promised two-week delivery, the centralised system is set to reduce processing time to just one week. “Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” he said.
According to Tunji-Ojo, centralisation will also improve uniformity, strengthen the integrity of Nigerian travel documents globally, and promote efficiency across all NIS operations.
He said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, enhances the capacity of the immigration service, and marks a significant shift in public service delivery for Nigerians.