By Gabriel Ameh
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has clarified that its ongoing passport centralisation reform will not stop passport processing and issuance at offices across Nigeria or at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates abroad.
The clarification followed public enquiries and concerns arising from the phased migration of passport production from offices across the six geopolitical zones to the Central Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
According to the Service, the migration is an operational reform aimed at modernising Nigeria’s passport system, strengthening security and improving efficiency without withdrawing passport services from local offices.
Under the new framework, passport booklets will be printed and personalised at the central production facility in Abuja before being dispatched to passport offices across the country and designated diplomatic missions abroad.
The NIS said the centralised production system is designed to enable passports to be produced and dispatched to applicants within two weeks.
Passport Offices to Continue Processing Applications
The Service stressed that passport offices across Nigeria and designated Nigerian embassies and consulates will continue to operate as passport processing and issuance centres.
Applicants, therefore, can continue to access passport services at their preferred passport offices.
The NIS said the new system eliminates manual intervention in the passport personalisation process and is expected to reduce document-related irregularities, improve accountability and ensure uniform quality and security standards for Nigerian passports.
The Service also said advanced security features will be incorporated into passports produced under the centralised system.
Five-Phase Migration
The NIS said the migration is being implemented in five phases to minimise operational risks, prevent service disruptions and allow the system to scale effectively.
The first phase was completed in January 2025, covering seven local offices and 30 foreign missions.
The second phase, completed in March 2026, covered 12 local offices and five foreign missions, while the third phase, completed in June 2026, covered 17 local offices and five foreign missions.
The fourth phase is scheduled for August 2026 and covers 10 local offices across the North-East, North-West and South-South regions.
The final phase, scheduled for completion by the last quarter of 2026, will cover five Lagos passport offices and selected Nigerian missions in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.
The Service said the phased approach is intended to ensure that the transition is carried out without compromising passport services to Nigerians at home and abroad.
NIS Reaffirms Commitment to Improved Service Delivery
The Immigration Service said the reform is part of its broader effort to deploy technology-driven solutions to improve passport services while protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s travel document system.
It reiterated its commitment to aligning passport production and issuance with international standards and ensuring that Nigerians continue to have access to passport services throughout the transition.
The statement was signed electronically by DCI Akinsola Akinlabi, Service Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Immigration Service Headquarters, Abuja, on August 5, 2026.
