By James Sunday, FCAI, MNIIA
The present production and approval system for the Nigerian passport, both at state commands and at the 52 foreign missions, was designed to bring ease to applicants, decentralise access, and ensure accountability, while the headquarters monitored daily production. The process is similar to how a bank operates: transactions may begin at any branch, but final approval comes from the bank’s headquarters.
Since the automation of passport processes in 2007, the Nigerian passport has always followed this model. Applicants physically appear for capturing and enrollment, while passport officers handle final approvals before production. This structure was introduced during the tenure of the then Comptroller General of Immigration Service (CGIS), C.J. Udeh, when the e-passport was launched. Over time, there were several transitions until the 2017 upgrade under CGIS Muhammad Babandede, which brought about the current Enhanced E-Passport in use today.
All security features have remained intact since then. Therefore, claims that since 1962 the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) never had a centralised approval and production system are misleading and discredit an already functional system for the sake of cheap popularity.
For Immigration officers who have served 15 years or more, as well as those who are retired, such statements are embarrassing and misinform Nigerians. To suggest that a sensitive security document like the passport has, for 62 years, been managed without central oversight undermines both the credibility of the NIS and the integrity of the passport process.
The reality is clear: Nigeria has always operated a centralised approval system with decentralised production centres. This arrangement not only validates the authenticity of breeder documents but also allows for in-person verification of applicants, an essential safeguard for security.
The recent shift to “full centralisation,” where applications can allegedly be processed from unknown locations and passports delivered by proxy, raises grave concerns. Under such a system, an individual who travelled abroad using someone else’s passport could simply apply for a fresh passport and have it delivered without ever appearing in person. Without personal verification, clearance, or authentication at approved centres, the process opens the passport to abuse, fraud, and identity theft.
Experts warn that rushing centralisation without factoring in security safeguards risks compromising the integrity of the document. Furthermore, there are concerns about accountability: what happens to the existing passport production machines installed across the 36 states, the FCT, and 52 missions abroad? Such equipment, now redundant, represents wasted investment and leaves nearly 2,000 trained personnel idle.
Equally troubling are the production statistics. Contrary to official claims that the old system produced only 250–300 passports per state command per day, actual figures were much higher. At 250 per day, the 36 states plus the FCT produced 9,250 passports daily; at 300, they produced 11,100. With capacity stepped up to 400 per day, production reached 14,800, and at 500 per command, 18,500 daily, figures far beyond the 4,000–5,000 currently claimed under the new centralised system. These statistics are verifiable and achievable, proving that decentralised production was more efficient.
Nigerians deserve accurate information, not disinformation. Passport production is not just a bureaucratic process; it is a matter of national security, accountability, and public trust.