Japa: Immigration Lists Causes of Passport Delays as Nigerian Passport Ranks Low Globally

Japa: Immigration Lists Causes of Passport Delays as Nigerian Passport Ranks Low Globally

  • The NIS said inconsistencies in data is the reason most passports get delayed
  • This follows earlier report that Nisgeria’s passport is ranked among the worse in the world
  • Recent report indicates that the Nigerian passport is now ranked 90th globally, showing improvement from previous reports

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has put the delay in the processing and issuing of some international passports to Nigerian applicants on inconsistencies in identification, such as National Identification Numbers (NINs).

At the 60th anniversary celebration of the agency in the state, Sunday James, the controller of the service in Rivers State, informed the audience in Port Harcourt.

passport
Immigration says wrong NIN, other biodata cause of passport delay Credit: Morsa Images, Osarieme Eweka
Source: Getty Images

This is coming amid report by Legit.ng that the Nigerian passport's global ranking has moved up 10 places but is still among the worst in the world. Read more on how to get international passport in Nigeria.

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According to Henley Passport Index’ latest third-quarter index published, the Nigerian passport is now ranked 90th globally, an improvement from the 100th spot in the same period in 2022.

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Inconsistencies in data has been the issue

In his speech, James described the history of the Nigerian passport and claimed that inconsistencies in identity data, such as the NIN, were to blame for the delays in processing and passport issuance, according to Channels TV.

The controller continued on the margins of the event, saying that the service has changed since its inception.

Officers from related security organisations were present, and the event's highlights included the display of passports, residency permits, and other identification documents.

As part of celebrations for the occasion, NIS employees lined up for inspection at the Federal Secretariat building.

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Men and officers from the service, as well as members of the public and other stakeholders, gathered in the conference room to celebrate the service.

“Don’t Pay Agents”: Nigerian Immigration Warns Citizens

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has warned Nigerians against paying agents to obtain passports.

In a post on Twitter, now X NIS emphasized that individuals can easily apply for and pay for their passports online without needing an intermediary.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Zainab Iwayemi avatar

Zainab Iwayemi (Business Editor) Zainab Iwayemi is a business journalist with over 5 years experience reporting activities in the stock market, tech, insurance, banking, and oil and gas sectors. She holds a Bachelor of Science (B.sc) degree in Sociology from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State. Before Legit.ng, she worked as a financial analyst at Nairametrics where she was rewarded for outstanding performance. She can be reached via zainab.iwayemi@corp.legit.ng