By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA – Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has described the newly completed Data Personalization Centre at the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS Headquarters, Abuja, as a “game-changer” in the nation’s passport production system.

Speaking after the inspection, the Minister said the centre will reduce response time as passports could be printed within 24 hours and delivered within a week.

He said the centre marks the first time since the establishment of the NIS in 1963 that Nigeria will operate a world-class centralized passport personalization facility, comparable to those in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, India, and Bangladesh.

According to him, the new system puts an end to the previous arrangement where passports were personalized in about 96 centres across Nigeria and abroad — a model he described as “vulnerable and inefficient.”

“Centralization is global best practice because it ensures higher quality, better control, and greater efficiency. We promised Nigerians that we would centralize passport personalization and production, and I am pleased to announce that this project is now 100 percent ready.”

The Minister revealed that while the old machines could only process 250–300 passports per machine daily, the new facility now produces about 1,000 passports per hour, giving the NIS the capacity to deliver between 4,500 and 5,000 passports within a normal workday.

“This means applicants whose requests are approved can now expect their passports to be printed within 24 hours,” he added.

Highlighting other reforms, Tunji-Ojo announced the unification of Nigeria’s two passport series into a single regime with the support of technical partner Iris Smart Technologies.

The minister also recalled that Nigeria has fully migrated to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s ICAO Public Key Directory, which authenticates travel documents globally.

“With this, the integrity and global credibility of our passport have been significantly strengthened,” he said.

The Minister further recalled that the government inherited a backlog of 204,000 passport applications but stressed that the new system eliminates such challenges by automating personalization and reducing human intervention.

“This project ensures that the era of backlogs is over. Officers no longer have to work round-the-clock to clear piles of applications. The system is now seamless, fast, and accountable,” he assured.

Tunji-Ojo thanked President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, the Comptroller-General of Immigration, NIS officers, and technical partners for their role in bringing the project to life.

He noted that reforms in the Service directly impact citizens by reducing waiting time from weeks to hours. “We promised two weeks’ delivery; we are already working towards achieving one week or less,” he said.

The centralized personalization centre, according to the Minister, stands as a major milestone in the government’s ongoing reforms in service delivery, efficiency and national identity management.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said this on Thursday while inspecting Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.

He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.

“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.

He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.

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“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.

“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.

“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.

He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.

Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.

He said the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.