“Come Back in 2 Weeks”: Minister Moves to Clear Backlog as Passport Ranking Rises With New Visa-Free Entry

“Come Back in 2 Weeks”: Minister Moves to Clear Backlog as Passport Ranking Rises With New Visa-Free Entry

  • The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed that passport backlogs would be cleared in two weeks
  • He said that after issuing them, the process should not take more than two weeks before Nigerians obtain their new passports
  • Tunji-Ojo stressed that the Nigerian government is working to modernise and digitise the passport issuance process

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Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, has said clearing the passport backlog in Nigeria should be completed within two weeks.

He also stated that there should be no reason for passport delays in Nigeria.

Nigerian Passport, Immigration
Nigerian government moves to clear passport backlog Credit: Xavier Lorenzo For illustration purposes only. Depicted person has no relationship to events described in this material.
Source: Getty Images

Nigerians to obtain passports in two weeks

Tunji-Ojo disclosed this when he appeared on the Channels Television’s Politics Today program.

He revealed that all backlogs would be cleared in at most two weeks, and the scarcity and delays in passport issuance and renewals contributed to corruption in the sector.

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“After all these backlogs, no Nigerian should wait more than two weeks,” she stressed.

According to the minister, it is the right of every Nigerian to own the green passport and not a privilege.

BusinessDay reports that the minister said it is unacceptable for any Nigerian to be disrespected due to their passport application.

Service providers told to fast-track passport issuance

Tunji-Ojo stressed that the directive of President Bola Tinubu makes bureaucratic bottlenecks impossible in Nigeria.

The minister revealed that the ministry had analysed all aspects of passport issuance to fast-track the move, from picking a date to biometrics and issuance.

He said all the service providers involved had been informed to be on the line to make it possible.

The minister is in talks with service providers and the Nigerian Immigration Service to modernise and distribute the process of obtaining new passports.

He added that the ministry needs to digitise the process, decentralise the system, and allow people to enter and renew their passports.

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He hinted at working with the banks and other financial institutions to fast-track passport issuance.

The move comes as the Nigerian government revealed recently that about 1.3 million passports were printed and distributed to Nigerians.

The government asked that Nigerians go early enough to take their passport as limited quantity is available.

Nigerian passport moves up 3 places as another country joins visa-free list

Legit.ng reported that Nigeria has moved up three places as its passport is ranked 100th out of 116 countries, but it is still among the least powerful in Africa, the latest 2022 Henley Passport Index shows.

The index, published by Henley & Partners, a London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm, ranks 199 passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.

It is updated in real-time throughout the year as and when visa policy changes occur.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Pascal Oparada avatar

Pascal Oparada (Business editor) For over a decade, Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy. He has worked in many media organizations such as Daily Independent, TheNiche newspaper, and the Nigerian Xpress. He is a 2018 PwC Media Excellence Award winner. Email:pascal.oparada@corp.legit.ng