The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo will today launch the much-anticipated International Passport Automation System.
He made this known during a demonstration of the online portal with Caroline Adepoju, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, on Friday.
The minister announced in December that the federal government was working to ensure a fully automated system for passport applications in the country, which would go live on January 8, 2024, during a review of Nigeria Immigration Service facilities in Abuja.
According to Tunji, an online passport application platform has been established for both international and Nigerian applicants.
In addition to minimising the human interface in the passport application process, the programme aims to provide applicants with a convenient and secure experience.
The minister emphasised the importance of the new system in strengthening the country’s security architecture and safeguarding Nigerian residents’ comfort and convenience.
He stated that Nigerian applicants who want 32-page passports with five-year validity would pay N25,000, while those who want 64-page passports with 10-year validity would pay N70,000.
Meanwhile, foreign applicants who wish to apply for passports with a five-year validity period and 32 pages will pay $130, while those who prefer passports with a 10-year validity period and 64 pages will pay $230. Candidates must submit their applications at https://passport.immigration.gov.ng.
He said the Nigeria Immigration Service had deployed document verification personnel across all local government areas in the country to improve document verification.
Tunji-Ojo emphasised the government’s commitment to putting a stop to the use of forged documents in passport applications.