The surge of Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad has peaked in the new year, with 32,462 individuals applying for international passports and submitting their documents through the Nigeria Immigration Service website between January 8 and 21, 2024.
Out of these applications, 15,113 have reportedly been approved for biometric capture and production, constituting fifty percent of the total applications. The Comptroller-General of Immigration Service, Caroline Adepoju, shared this summary during her visit to Ikoyi and Alausa passport offices. The visit aimed to assess the implementation of the automated passport application process.
According to Adepoju, 11,505 applications are pending approval, while 3,406 applicants who made payments are yet to schedule appointments. Additionally, 1,438 applications were queried for various reasons.
Adepoju highlighted that 50 percent of the total applications have been successfully approved for biometric capture, production, and issuance, while 35 percent await approval. She emphasized that the introduction of automated passport applications involves uploading supporting documents online, contributing to a smoother application process and reducing human interface.
Addressing concerns about rejection, Adepoju mentioned that only four percent of applications were rejected due to potential errors on the applicant’s side. She urged Nigerians to exercise patience and allow the NIS to refine the process, emphasizing the benefits of reduced human interaction and increased efficiency in the application process.
