Next Stage Of Passport Automation Process Begins Next Week – Minister

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has said that the next stage of the automation of the passport application process will begin from January 8, 2024.

He said the new stage, which is continuation of a long standing innovation of previous administrations in the passport application and processing process would allow Nigerians to apply and complete their passport application process online without human contact.

The Minister made this known on Monday in Abuja when he inspected facilities of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS.

The minister said that the ministry has commenced the training process that will lead to the live launching of the automation.

It will be recalled that the automation of the passport application and processing process began in 2016, when the then Minister, Abdulrahman Dambazzau kicked off the digitization process for passport application, processing and delivery to Nigerians at the Immigration Service offices nationwide.

Osun Defender recalls that the immediate-past Minister, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola took the initiative a step higher by starting the online passport application process.

The initiative, saw the introduction of an online portal where Nigerians applied for the citizenship integrity document, paid online (to eliminate the role of middlemen and corrupt officials and got appointment dates for their biometrics capturing at registration points across the country.

In addition, to address the skyrocketing demand for the passport by Nigerians, most especially, those seeking to relocate abroad, the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari through Aregbesola built and commissioned passport front offices, and ideated the next stage of the process, to begin next week.

The new stage of the automation process for passport application was to commence with pilot tests in Gwagwalada and Lagos before the end of the Buhari administration, but could not hold due to administrative bottlenecks.

However, according to Tunji-Ojo, “We are good to go live.  We are starting the training and on January 8, the solution will be live and direct for Nigerians to have a good feel, a sweet experience based on the Renewed Hope of Mr President.

“We have been able to reduce human contact in passport acquisition to the minimum.”

He added that the new stage of the enhanced passport application process will improve the security architecture of the country, prompting a quick detection of fake passport applications and reducing bottlenecks.