The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced that Nigerians will soon have the privilege of applying for and completing their passport applications entirely online, eliminating the need for any in-person interactions. The highly-anticipated automation of the passport application process is scheduled to commence on January 8, 2024.
The revelation came during the Minister’s inspection of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) facilities in Abuja on Monday, where he was accompanied by the Comptroller General (CG) of the Service, Wura-Ola Adepoju. Tunji-Ojo emphasized that this progressive step aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“We are good to go live,” Tunji-Ojo confidently stated, expressing readiness for the upcoming change. He further explained, “We are starting the training, and on January 8, the solution will be live and direct for Nigerians to have a good feel, a sweet experience based on the Renewed Hope of Mr. President.”
The minister highlighted that this initiative is not only geared towards providing a user-friendly experience but is also a strategic move to minimize human contact in the passport acquisition process.
He emphasized that reducing physical interactions contributes to the enhancement of the country’s security architecture while prioritizing the comfort and convenience of Nigerian citizens.
“We have been able to reduce human contact in passport acquisition to the minimum,” Tunji-Ojo assured, underlining the positive impact of the initiative. As part of the upcoming online process, applicants can anticipate the inclusion of features such as uploading passport photos and supporting documents.
With this bold step towards digitization, Nigeria is poised to usher in a new era of efficiency, accessibility, and security in the passport application process, reinforcing the commitment to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
