Immigration Service Unveils Central Passport Hub, Promises Faster , Secure Services 

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has moved to clear the air over its ongoing passport centralisation reform, assuring Nigerians at home and abroad that the policy will not disrupt passport processing or issuance across the country and at Nigerian missions overseas.

The Service said the migration of passport production activities from passport offices across the six geopolitical zones to the Central Personalisation Centre at the Service Headquarters, Abuja, is a purely operational adjustment designed to strengthen security, improve efficiency, and modernize Nigeria’s passport system.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Service public relations officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, said passport applicants should continue to visit their preferred passport offices, assuring that the centres remain fully operational for processing and issuance..

“The migration of production in passport offices to the Central Personalisaation Centre does not stop the processing and issuance of passports at any passport office within the country or at designated Nigerian Embassies and Consulates abroad,” the Service stated.

The reform, according to the statement introduces a centralised printing and security personalisation system, under which passport booklets will be produced at a secure, high-capacity facility in Abuja and dispatched to passport offices nationwide and abroad within a two-week timeframe.

According to the NIS, the new framework eliminates manual intervention in the personalisation process, reduces opportunities for document manipulation, improves accountability, and ensures uniform quality standards with advanced security features embedded in every Nigerian passport.

The Service disclosed that the reform is being implemented through a five-phase migration plan to minimize operational risks and guarantee a smooth transition.

According to the statement, ” The first phase, completed in January 2025, covered 37 locations, including seven passport offices in Nigeria and 30 Nigerian diplomatic missions across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas, and Oceania.

“The second phase, completed in March 2026, onboarded 17 locations, including passport offices in the South-East, North Central and South-West regions, as well as selected missions in Europe.

“The third phase, completed in June 2026, covered 22 additional locations, including passport offices in the South-South, North-West and South-West zones, alongside Nigerian missions in Europe,” It stated.

The statement also disclosed that the fourth phase, scheduled for August 2026, will bring in 10 more local offices, including locations in the North-East, North-West and South-South regions.

It added that the final phase, expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2026, will include major passport offices in Lagos and key Nigerian missions in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.

The statement further read , “The migration of production in passport offices to the Central Personalisation Centre is purely operational and does not in any way stop the processing and issuance of passport at any passport office within the country or at designated Nigeria’s Embassies and Consulates abroad.”

“This forms part of a broader modernisation Programme aimed at strengthening the security, integrity, and efficiency of Nigeria’s passport issuance system.

“Under the new operational framework, all passport booklets printing and security personalisation have been consolidated into a secure, centralised, and high-capacity production hub in the Service Headquarters Abuja, ensuring passports are produced and dispatched to passport offices across the country and diaspora within a two-week timeframe.” the service assured.

The service added that “Passport offices in the country and designated Nigeria’s Embassies and Consulates will continue to function as passport processing and issuance offices.

“The reforms eliminates manual intervention in the personalization process, removes document arbitrage, enhances accountability, guarantees uniform quality standards including advanced security features embedded in every Nigerian passport.

“Applicants should therefore continue to access passport services at their preferred passport offices as usual.”

“Nigeria Immigration Service remains committed to deploying technology-driven solutions that improve service delivery while safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s passport system in line with international best practices.”

The NIS said the centralisation initiative aligns with global best practices and forms part of broader efforts to deploy technology-driven solutions that safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s passport system while improving service delivery.

The Service urged Nigerians to disregard reports suggesting that passport offices have stopped issuing passports, reiterating that applicants can continue to access services at their chosen locations without interruption.