The Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, says it has commenced 24/7 production of passport booklets and issuance to applicants within a week after data capturing.
The acting Deputy Comptroller-General of Immigration and Head of the Passport and Other Traveling Document Directorate, Sadat Hassan, made the disclosure in an interview with PRNigeria in Abuja.
Mrs Hassan spoke in the wake of the investigative story published by the Fact-Check medium over underhand practices by some immigration personnel who extort applicants and delay the issuance of their passports.
Recall that the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had also said that from December 2023, passports would be made available to applicants in two weeks.
Mrs Hassan said efforts are on to ensure that the instructions of the minister are met.
She said: “The Controller-General of Immigration, Caroline Wura-ola Adepoju, has not only directed the 24/7 production of booklets including Saturdays and Sundays, she also provides transportation and other incentives to to staff ensure that we meet the demands as well as the instruction of the Hon Minister of Interior.”
She revealed that so far, all outstanding backlog of passports has been cleared, adding that only Kwara and Edo have some backlogs due to technical glitches.
The DCGI also announced that with the deployment of technology, passport production has now been centralised through which the Service can assess data of applicants, complaints, and other irregularities that could be easily tackled.
“Before now, we have what is called the e-Passport, NIS is currently moving to the production of a new enhanced one which is engraved with laser technology. Through this, we have a centralised platform to work with since the National Identification Number, NIN, is a requirement for application,” she said.
According to her, the movement to the new platform is now 80 percent complete.
“Interestingly, this process has also been completed in some of our offices in the diaspora including the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States of America,” she added.
