Nigerians will soon pay more for passports as the Federal Government raised fees, insisting the rise will deliver faster services and stamp out corruption.
Starting September 1, 2025, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) will charge ₦100,000 for a 32-page passport valid for five years and ₦200,000 for the 64-page, ten-year version.
Meanwhile, Nigerians abroad will continue to pay $150 and $230.
Minister Promises Faster Passport Delivery
Although the hike follows a similar adjustment in August 2024, Interior Minister Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo argued that the new rates reflect reforms rather than revenue collection.
Speaking in Abuja, he linked the change to the government’s push to eliminate delays and extortion in passport processing.
He said Nigerians endured endless waits or paid huge sums for their passports for years.
“Now, we want every applicant to hold their passport within a week of enrolment — without bribery or favour.”
To underline his point, he shared a personal story.
As a lawmaker, he struggled to secure a passport for his 12-year-old daughter and eventually paid hundreds of thousands of naira to beat the system.
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“That era is over,” he declared.
New Reforms Target Corruption And Integrity
Furthermore, Tunji-Ojo explained that the government had already cleared a six-month backlog in just over two weeks.
He credited the achievement to a centralised personalisation centre — the largest in Africa — which now produces far more passports than the country requires.
In addition, the minister stripped Passport Control Officers of their power to approve or delay applications, a step he said would cut out human interference.
Finally, he emphasised that the reforms aim to protect national integrity: “Our passport must remain a true symbol of Nigerian identity.”
