By Olawale Lamina
From September 1, 2024 an upward review of the Nigerian Passport will become effective following the federal government approval.
Statement to this effect was contained on the X handle of the Nigeria Immigration Service, issued by its spokesperson, Kenneth Udo.
According to the statement, the increment aims to ensure both quality and integrity of the Nigerian Standard Passport.
The statement by the NIS states, “As part of its efforts to maintain the quality and integrity of the Nigerian Standard Passport, the Federal Government has approved an upward review of the fees for the passport, effective from September 1, 2024.
“Based on the review, a 32-page passport booklet with five-year validity previously charged at N35,000 will now be N50,000 only; while a 64-page passport booklet with 10-year validity which was N70,000 will be N100,000 only.
“While the Nigeria Immigration Service regrets any inconvenience this increase might cause prospective applicants, it assures Nigerians of unwavering commitment to transparency and quality service delivery at all times.”
Recall that about two weeks ago, based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association and enhanced by Henley & Partners’ research team, the Nigerian passport was ranked 92nd out of 199 on the Henley Passport Index, indicating the challenges its citizens face regarding international travel freedom.
The index ranks countries based on the number of destinations their passport holders can access without a prior visa, shows Nigeria queuing behind many other nations.
The Henley Passport Index is reputed as the authoritative ranking body of the global passports.
The fall or improvement in ranking results stems from several factors such as reciprocity, economic and sociopolitical stability, and tourism.
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