The Northern Caucus of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has rejected allegations that the Federal Government’s passport centralisation policy is designed to marginalise Northern Nigeria, describing the claims as misleading and politically motivated.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the students’ body insisted that the reform is a nationwide administrative measure aimed at improving service delivery, enhancing passport security and modernising the issuance process.
Speaking on behalf of the caucus, the National Vice President (External Affairs) of NANS, Sadiq Zango, said concerns raised in some quarters stemmed from misinformation about the exercise.
He explained that the transfer of passport personalisation to the Central Personalisation Centre in Abuja does not stop Nigerians from applying for, processing or collecting passports at any Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) office or Nigerian diplomatic mission abroad.
According to him, the initiative forms part of a broader technology-driven reform programme by the NIS to strengthen the integrity and efficiency of Nigeria’s passport system.
The association noted that the implementation is being carried out in phases. It said the first three phases, completed between February 2025 and 2026, covered passport offices in the North-Central, South-East and South-West regions, excluding Lagos, as well as 41 Nigerian missions across Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Oceania.
The fourth phase, scheduled for August 2026, will extend the programme to passport offices in the South-South, North-East and North-West, including Calabar, Port Harcourt, Uyo, Yenagoa, Bauchi, Gombe, Jalingo, Yola, Farm Centre Kano and Dawakin Kudu Kano.
NANS stressed that the reform does not disenfranchise any region but rather centralises passport booklet printing and security personalisation at a high-capacity facility in Abuja to reduce processing time and improve security standards.
The association added that passport offices nationwide will continue to receive applications, process requests and issue passports without disruption.
It further stated that the reform would reduce manual interference, curb document fraud, strengthen accountability and ensure uniform quality and enhanced security features in Nigerian passports.
Reaffirming confidence in the Nigeria Immigration Service, NANS commended the agency for adopting international best practices and urged residents of the North to ignore rumours capable of causing unnecessary anxiety.
