The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has successfully cleared a backlog of over 204,332 passport applications within the past 10 months.
Tunji-Ojo shared this information during a media event in Abuja on Friday, where he highlighted the Ministry’s achievements over the last year. He assured Nigerians that with the current reform measures in place, there will be no more backlogs of passport applications in the country.
“In the past year, we have implemented advanced border management technologies, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and various surveillance tools and infrastructures, to enhance national security,” he stated.
“This technology facilitates improved monitoring and control of Nigeria’s extensive borders, ensuring our immigration services are equipped to tackle modern security challenges. We have undertaken a comprehensive overhaul of the passport issuance process to resolve long-standing issues that have frustrated millions of Nigerians.
“One of our major achievements was clearing a significant backlog of 204,332 passport applications, which had left many citizens stranded for months or even years,” he added.
Tunji-Ojo emphasized that these innovations aim to spare Nigerians from the inconvenience of traveling long distances or enduring long waits for passport applications.
He noted that these initiatives have improved access and security, making Nigerian passports more secure and respected globally.
The minister further explained that efforts are ongoing to ensure the safe storage and retrieval of sensitive information, as well as to enhance the efficiency of national security operations, identity management, and service delivery throughout the country.
Additionally, Tunji-Ojo revealed that the Federal Government is in the process of installing a total of 41 e-gates at the five international airports across the nation to facilitate seamless screening of incoming passengers.
He specified that eight e-gates will be installed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, 21 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, and four each at the airports in Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt.
