FG unveils special passport office for top officials to eliminate delays

The Federal Government has commissioned a specialised Passport Front Office dedicated exclusively to senior public officers and other designated dignitaries, in a bold move to streamline travel documentation for Nigeria’s top government officials.

The facility, unveiled in Abuja by Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, is designed to eliminate longstanding delays and inefficiencies that have plagued passport processing for high-ranking officials.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Tunji-Ojo highlighted the challenges previously faced by top government personnel, many of whom were forced to abandon official duties to queue for hours at standard passport centres.

“Before now, many top-level public servants had to abandon their official duties and endure long queues at standard passport offices.

“It became clear that for us to serve the nation more effectively, we must also serve those tasked with its leadership more efficiently”, the Minister said.

Tunji-Ojo applauded the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) for its professionalism and commended the collaboration with Iris Smart Technologies, which provided the digital infrastructure for the new front office.

According to him, the facility represents a new benchmark in excellence and is expected to significantly cut waiting times, improve access, and raise the overall quality of passport service delivery.

He further described the initiative as a critical step in the broader institutional reforms being implemented under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“When we came in, it was shocking to realise that the Ministry of Interior and the NIS had no dedicated passport facility for public officials.

“Today marks a turning point as we begin to bridge that gap and set a new course for service delivery in our nation,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior,  emphasised the importance of the new front office in facilitating national service.

She noted that the facility provides a dignified and efficient process for obtaining passports, which is vital for the mobility of key public officers.

“This is a very significant occasion as the Passport Front Office serves as a dedicated, high-priority channel for the dignified and efficient processing of passport applications for key public officials whose mobility is crucial to national service,” she said.

The event drew attendance, including Joseph Utsev, Minister of Water Resources, Controller-Generals of the various agencies under the Ministry of Interior, representatives from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and senior officers from the Nigerian Immigration Service.