NIS Updates Passport Tracking System Amid Public Outcry Over Delay

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced the rollout of an enhanced passport tracking feature, following sustained public complaints over delays in passport issuance and collection.

The Service disclosed the update in a post on X, noting that it had observed that hundreds of passports already produced remained uncollected, a situation that had contributed to growing concerns among applicants.

To address this, the NIS introduced a new status—“PRODUCED (PASSPORT PRODUCED, READY FOR COLLECTION)”—into its existing passport tracking system.

The Service said the feature is designed to give applicants clearer information on when their passports are ready for physical collection or courier delivery.

“This update enhances the existing tracking system, and helps applicants stay informed about timelines for passports produced and awaiting collection (for physical collection) or produced but not delivered (for courier delivery),” the Service stated.

The development follows weeks of criticism from passport applicants, including prominent Nigerians, who took to social media to complain about prolonged delays, with some reporting waiting periods stretching into several months.

There were also allegations of deliberate bottlenecks within the passport processing system.

One of the most notable complaints came from investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo, who said he had waited over six months for a passport renewal despite completing payment and biometric capture in July 2025.

NIS INTRODUCES NEW UPDATE TO AID APPLICANTS’ PASSPORT TRACKING

The Nigeria Immigration Service has updated its passport tracking system.

The Service observes that hundreds of passports produced had remained uncollected, leading to increasing complaints from applicants.

The… pic.twitter.com/udLipjDGS6

— Nigeria Immigration Service (@nigimmigration) January 15, 2026

In a post that attracted more than 1,400 likes and hundreds of reposts, Soyombo criticised the immigration process and accused the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, of failing to deliver promised reforms.

“It is now six months since I paid and applied for the renewal of my international passport,” Soyombo wrote, describing the reforms as “gallery play and public sentiment manipulation.”

In response, the NIS said Soyombo’s passport had already been produced and was ready for delivery.

The Service added that delays can sometimes arise from incomplete applications or technical issues on the platform, stressing that the new tracker status would help applicants distinguish between production delays and passports that are ready but yet to be retrieved.

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The tracking update comes against the backdrop of recent increases in passport fees.

Last year, the NIS announced a hike in passport prices, citing the need to improve efficiency and document quality.

The cost of a 32-page passport with five-year validity was increased from ₦50,000 to ₦100,000, while a 64-page passport with 10-year validity now costs ₦200,000, up from ₦100,000.

The increase, which took effect on September 1, 2025, was the second within 12 months, following an earlier hike in August 2024.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Interior on Tuesday paid an unannounced visit to the NIS passport office in Gwagwalada, Abuja, where he supervised passport processing and warned against unofficial payments.

“I don’t want to hear that you are collecting money for diesel or paper. Nigerians have paid for their passports completely. Serve them diligently,” Tunji-Ojo said.

“So it means that by 9:30 a.m., I expect to see at least one or two applicants here,” he said.

The minister also faulted the under-utilisation of the VIP and Children section, saying applicants waiting elsewhere could have been redirected to ease congestion.

“It will not cost you anything if you use this place for them,” he said, reiterating that passport offices must prioritise efficiency and fairness.

“Nigeria has no VIP. When you wear this uniform, you wear a uniform of sacrifice. You are here to work for the people,” Tunji-Ojo said.

The update comes as part of an ongoing effort to tackle operational challenges within the passport regime.

In May 2025, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji‑Ojo, disclosed that the Federal Government, in collaboration with the NIS, had cleared more than 200,000 unprocessed passport applications that had accumulated over time.

He noted that this milestone was achieved through technology integration and process improvements since his assumption of office, a key element of wider immigration reforms.

“The era of extended delays is being addressed head‑on through innovation‑driven governance and a commitment to efficient service delivery,” Tunji‑Ojo said at the time, highlighting the repayment of a ₦28 billion legacy backlog without additional federal funding.

The passport reforms also include efforts to streamline application processes through digitisation, with plans already underway to deliver passports directly to applicants’ preferred addresses and to simplify online submissions—a shift away from earlier in‑office bottlenecks.

The enhanced passport tracking system could offer clearer visibility into application progress and reduce uncertainty around long processing times for citizens at home and in the diaspora.

The new status could also help applicants distinguish between ongoing production and completed passports awaiting pickup or courier delivery, aiding better travel and documentation planning.