The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola said on Tuesday the process of issuing the Nigerian passport will be fully digitalised before the end of this year (2022).
Aregbesola also stated that there would be no longer the usual process of applications.
Speaking during the commencement of a two-day capacity-building workshop organized for passport control officers from across Nigeria and foreign offices, the Minister said government has decided to cut off completely any form of contact between applicants and immigration officers which gives rise to corruption in the process.
He disclosed that the maximum period for fresh passport applications is now six weeks while passport renewal would no longer be more than three weeks.
According to him, it is game is over for immigration officers who engage in passport racketeering as the ministry has concluded a plan to make the passport issuance process fully digitized.
Furthermore, he said that in the next one month, Nigerians would be able to track their passport application process online through the passport portal to reduce unnecessary congestion that is sometimes witnessed at the passport offices.
According to him, from 2019 to date, three million passports have been processed despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic era.
The Minister noted that there were still 250 passports unclaimed at the various passport issuance offices across the country, 80% of the unclaimed passports are at the Ikoyi passport station.
He urged passport control officers to maintain discipline and integrity at all times as well as treat Nigerians seeking passports with dignity.
He said the workshop is to ensure effective and efficient service delivery to maximize the gains of the passport reforms by the federal government.