By Abbanobi-Eku Onyeka
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has unveiled a groundbreaking Centralized Passport Personalization Centre in Abuja, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s passport reform journey.
This cutting-edge facility, the first of its kind in the 62-year history of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), promises to transform passport production, boosting output to 4,500-5,000 booklets daily.
This was contained in a press release from Ibraheem Zakariyya,
Head, Press & Public Relations on Thursday.
During the inspection, Minister Tunji-Ojo praised the centre as a “big win for this administration and for Nigerians,” highlighting its alignment with global best practices.
The centralized system guarantees quality, integrity, and efficiency, placing Nigeria alongside leading nations like the United States, the United Kingdom, France, India, and Bangladesh.
The new system can produce 4,500-5,000 passports daily, compared to the old machines’ capacity of 250-300 passports and the approved passports will be ready for collection within 24 hours.
The system ensures uniformity and boosts the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
The Minister credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the necessary political will and support, commending the dedication of officers from the Interior Ministry and NIS.
He also lauded IRIS Smart Technologies Ltd., the government’s technical partner, for delivering the project without direct draw from public funds.
This development is part of the government’s efforts to modernize Nigeria’s identity infrastructure, eliminate inefficiencies, and restore confidence in the Nigerian passport worldwide.
