Nigeria Unveils World-Class Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre

The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced the completion and readiness for deployment of Nigeria’s first Centralised Passport Personalisation and Production Centre. This facility is poised to resolve the longstanding challenges plaguing the nation’s passport issuance process.

During a tour of the facility at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister hailed its acquisition as a landmark achievement in the ongoing reform aimed at transforming the country’s passport issuance system and permanently eliminating backlogs.

He emphasised that the project represents a significant step by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to modernise the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and align it with global best practices.

Previously, passports were personalised across 96 locations in Nigeria and the diaspora. However, this new centralised model consolidates production into a single hub, enhancing efficiency, quality assurance, and uniformity.

He noted, “Nigeria now joins countries like the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, India, and Bangladesh in operating centralised passport personalisation centres.” He stressed, “This is a major win for the government and a substantial shift towards efficiency and reliability.”

The new facility, built in partnership with IRISMAT Technologies Limited, employs advanced machines capable of producing up to 1,000 passports per hour—a significant increase from the previous Iskra machines, which produced only 250–300 passports per day.

This increased capacity enables the NIS to produce between 4,500 and 5,000 passports daily, allowing Nigerians to receive their approved passports within 24 hours to one week.

Tunji-Ojo stated, “This centre marks the end of backlogs and delays. When this administration took office, we inherited over 204,000 pending applications. That issue is now resolved. Everything is automated and efficient, ensuring Nigerians receive value for their money.”

He also highlighted other key reforms implemented under the current administration, including:

Migration to a single passport series, eliminating the old dual “A and B” series system to strengthen document integrity.
Diaspora coverage, ensuring all missions abroad now issue the enhanced B-series passport.

Global authentication compliance, integrating Nigeria into the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)’s Public Key Directory (PKD), thereby boosting international acceptance of Nigerian travel documents.

He asserted, “These reforms ensure that all Nigerians carry the same passport type, enhance global trust in our documents, and position Nigeria as a serious player in global travel systems.”

The Minister attributed the project’s success to strong collaboration between the government, the NIS, and IRISMAT Technologies Limited. He emphasised that the facility was not funded directly by the government but through a strategic partnership designed to deliver value.

He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, the Comptroller-General of Immigration, and all NIS officers who worked diligently to deliver what he described as “a career and time-defining project.”

Addressing concerns about the project’s impact on citizens, the Minister assured Nigerians that centralisation would drastically reduce waiting times for new passports and data changes.

He stated, “We promised two weeks, but we are working towards one week. With this centre, Nigerians will no longer have to wait endlessly. Our priority is service efficiency, and this project guarantees that.”

He described the project as historic, emphasising that since the establishment of the Immigration Service in 1963, Nigeria had never constructed such a facility.

“With this centre, Nigeria now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with advanced nations in the management of travel documents. It is a legacy project that will define the future of our passport system,” he concluded.