FG Defends New Passport Fee Hike, Says Reform Will End Corruption

By Sofiat Adenekan

The Federal Government has justified the sharp increase in Nigerian passport fees, insisting the new charges will eliminate corruption, restore credibility, and ensure quicker delivery of travel documents.

Effective September 1, 2025, applicants in Nigeria will pay N100,000 for a 32-page, five-year passport and N200,000 for a 64-page, 10-year passport, according to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

The hike comes less than a year after fees were reviewed in August 2024, when the 32-page booklet rose from N35,000 to N50,000 and the 64-page, 10-year passport from N70,000 to N100,000.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, defended the new policy, saying it was designed to end bottlenecks and guarantee passports within one week of application.

“Not just delivering quickly, but delivering quality passports that reflect our integrity as a nation,” he said.

The minister revealed that a new centralised personalisation centre, the largest in Africa, now enables the NIS to print five times more passports than needed, eliminating backlogs that once lasted months.

He explained that Passport Control Officers (PCOs) will no longer have discretionary powers to approve or delay applications, a reform meant to curb extortion.

“Some PCOs could decide not to print a passport until they were settled. That abuse ends now,” he declared.

Recalling personal experience, Tunji-Ojo said even his 12-year-old daughter once faced challenges, forcing him to pay hundreds of thousands of naira to secure a passport.

“That era is over,” he added.
The government further disclosed that the reforms aim to curb illegal access to Nigerian passports by non-citizens, citing a recent case where a Ugandan woman was arrested at Lagos Airport with a Nigerian passport, she allegedly obtained for $1,000.

Meanwhile, Nigerians in the diaspora will continue to pay $150 for the 32-page passport and $230 for the 64-page passport, according to the NIS.
Although the hike has triggered public concern, the government maintains that the measure will end corruption in the passport system and strengthen the passport as a true symbol of national identity.