The Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, has provided an update on the backlog of passports in Nigeria, stating that 55,000 out of the 200,000 passport backlog have been cleared. He also expressed confidence that more would be cleared before the end of the two-week deadline he had given to the Immigration boss. Once the backlog is cleared, Nigerians should be able to obtain their passports within two weeks of application.
This update was provided during a visit by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, to the Minister of Interior’s office in Abuja. Dr. Edu promised that widows of slain personnel from various security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Immigration Service, Nigerian Correctional Service, and Federal Fire Service, would have access to soft loans. She also mentioned plans to empower inmates at correctional centers through skills acquisition programs.
The expansion of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation’s mandate to cover more Nigerians, particularly those affected by insecurity and displacement, was discussed during the visit. The ministry aims to address humanitarian crises and provide support to vulnerable groups in Nigeria.
Efforts to clear the passport backlog and improve passport issuance efficiency are crucial for ensuring that Nigerians have timely access to travel documents and related services.