The Federal Government has assured Nigerians in the United Kingdom that the ongoing special passport intervention programme does not attract any additional charges beyond officially approved fees.
The clarification followed complaints by some Nigerians regarding challenges experienced during the processing of international passports under the intervention exercise designed to address growing demand among citizens living in the UK.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde, the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, stressed that reports suggesting the introduction of extra charges were inaccurate.
According to the minister, the approved fees remain unchanged at $150 for five-year validity passports and $230 for ten-year validity passports, excluding applicable bank charges.
He emphasised that neither the Ministry of Interior nor the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) had authorised any additional payments outside the stipulated fees.
The intervention programme was introduced to ease passport application challenges and improve service delivery for Nigerians residing in the United Kingdom. However, concerns raised by applicants prompted the government to issue further clarification on the process.
Tunji-Ojo acknowledged the inconveniences experienced by some applicants and assured Nigerians that measures were being taken to improve service efficiency.
He disclosed that consultations were ongoing between the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address operational issues and ensure smoother passport processing.
The minister also encouraged Nigerians abroad to utilise the government’s contactless biometric passport application system, which allows applicants to complete parts of the process remotely while reducing delays and physical bottlenecks.
According to him, the Federal Government remains committed to improving consular services and ensuring that Nigerians living overseas enjoy easier access to essential government services.
The clarification comes amid growing demand for passport renewals and fresh applications by Nigerians in the diaspora, many of whom have welcomed recent reforms aimed at simplifying the passport acquisition process.
Government officials expressed confidence that ongoing improvements would further strengthen service delivery and eliminate unnecessary difficulties faced by applicants.
