|
Listen to article
|
Nigerians will soon enjoy unprecedented convenience in obtaining their passports, thanks to a new remote processing system. This digital solution allows citizens to submit applications, upload required documents, and receive their passports without visiting a processing center, significantly enhancing the overall experience.
Nigeria’s new contactless passport processing system has distinct eligibility criteria. Citizens aged 18 and above, as well as individuals reapplying for expired passports, can utilize this convenient service. However, first-time applicants must physically visit a passport processing center to register their biometrics.
Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the launch of a pioneering contactless passport processing app during a stakeholders’ forum in Abuja on Friday ¹. This cutting-edge technology is designed to facilitate seamless passport applications.
A groundbreaking contactless passport processing initiative, aimed at minimizing human interaction, is currently underway in Nigeria. Irish Smart Technology and New World, two indigenous firms, have collaborated to develop this innovative system, which has been undergoing rigorous testing for the past nine months.
To tackle the long-standing challenges faced by Nigerians in obtaining passports, the government has introduced state-of-the-art technology. This user-friendly system aims to reduce bureaucratic red tape, eliminate opportunities for exploitation by unscrupulous intermediaries, and provide citizens with a seamless passport acquisition experience.
Read also:
Tunji-Ojo disclosed that the App had been designed to take care of every requirement for the issuance of Nigerian passport and make it seamless for applicants to obtain the travelling document with record time.
The minister announced that with effect from April next year, passport production will be centralized in Nigeria as no immigration attaché in any foreign mission would be allowed to approve visa issuance.
Read also: Immigration Boss Orders Probe Into Passport Racketeering In SE
The minister has disclosed that the President has given the green light for the Nigerian Immigration Service to retain half of its internally generated revenue. This decision is expected to enhance the agency’s efficiency, particularly in reducing passport processing delays and improving other critical services offered to Nigerians both within the country and abroad.
Additionally, the minister noted that the government is constructing over 32 forward operational bases throughout the country to improve the effectiveness of the NIS and strengthen the nation’s security framework.
Speaking to stakeholders, the Comptroller-General of the NIS, Mrs. Kemi Nandep, stated that the transition to contactless passport issuance was designed to ease the physical processing burden and to elevate passport security, ensuring compliance with global standards.
