…Ends Multiple Production Centres
For the first time since its establishment in 1963, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has moved to a fully centralized passport production system, ending the use of multiple centres across the country.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Thursday during an inspection of the new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
He described the development as a landmark reform, noting that Nigeria had never operated a central passport production hub in the service’s 62-year history.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
According to him, while old machines could only produce between 250 and 300 passports daily, the new system has a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports per day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation. We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week,” he added, describing the initiative as a game-changer.
The minister stressed that the centralised system, in line with international standards, would ensure uniformity, improve efficiency, and enhance the integrity of Nigerian travel documents globally.
He further noted that the reform aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to strengthen institutional capacity, improve service delivery, and modernise critical sectors.
“This is a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform,” Tunji-Ojo said.