A passport intervention exercise organised by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in the United Kingdom has been thrown into confusion after a Lebanese owner of a venue reportedly refused to allow Nigerians into the facility, allegedly claiming that he had not been paid for its use.
The incident occurred on Monday, September 7, 2026, as Nigerians arrived for the special passport intervention exercise aimed at clearing a backlog of passport applications and renewals.
According to accounts shared by applicants on social media, only a handful of people had been attended to several hours after the exercise was scheduled to begin.
One applicant alleged that the venue owner told those present that he had not received payment and that there were also inadequate staff and security personnel at the facility.
“He said he hasn’t been paid, no staff, no security. Three people attended to in one hour,” the applicant wrote in a post on X.
UK police were reportedly called to the venue as the situation escalated, further adding to the confusion among applicants who had travelled long distances and taken time off work to attend the exercise.
The incident has raised questions about the arrangements between the Nigerian authorities and the private venue, particularly over the alleged payment dispute, staffing and security arrangements.
The Nigeria High Commission in London had announced that the special passport intervention exercise would run across selected UK locations from September 7, with applicants required to attend with their application forms, payment receipts, appointment slips and old passports where applicable.
The High Commission’s published information listed the London venue as Layali Lounge in Trent Park, while other locations included Nigeria House in Manchester, Sophia Gardens in Cardiff and the Hilton Convention Centre in Aberdeen.
However, following the disruption, the London passport exercise was subsequently moved from Layali Lounge to 56–57 Fleet Street, Temple, London, with applicants told to retain their existing appointment times. The High Commission described the reason as “unforeseen technical challenges.”
As of Tuesday, September 8, there had been no official confirmation from the NIS or the Nigerian High Commission that the venue owner was indeed owed money.
The controversy comes as the Federal Government’s intervention exercise faces wider complaints from Nigerians in the UK over delays, poor coordination and difficulties accessing some of the designated centres.
The Ministry of Interior has meanwhile said there are no additional administrative charges beyond the official passport fees, following separate allegations that applicants were being asked to pay extra fees.
