The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched a centralised passport personalisation system. On September 18, 2025, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo unveiled the facility at the NIS headquarters in Abuja, marking the end of decentralised production across 96 locations and transitioning to a single hub for the first time since the NIS’s establishment in 1963. This world-class centre, equipped with advanced technology from IRIS SMART Technologies Limited, can produce 4,500 to 5,000 passports daily up from the previous 250–300 per day aiming to reduce processing times to as little as one week or less, eliminate backlogs of over 200,000 applications, and enhance security and uniformity in line with global standards seen in countries like the US, UK, and India.
The launch aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, unifying Nigeria’s two passport series and integrating with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Public Key Directory for international authentication. Nigerians can expect improved efficiency in passport issuance, with the system set to commence full operations soon.
