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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has reassured Nigerians that its ongoing Passport Centralization Reform will not affect passport processing or issuance, despite the migration of passport production to a Central Personalization Centre at the Service Headquarters in Abuja.
The clarification followed public enquiries and misconceptions surrounding the phased transfer of passport production from passport offices across the country's six geopolitical zones to the central facility.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the Service Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Immigration (DCI) Akinsola Akinlabi, the Service stressed that passport offices nationwide and designated Nigerian embassies and consulates abroad remain fully operational for passport application processing and issuance.
According to the NIS, the reform is part of a comprehensive modernization programme aimed at improving efficiency, strengthening document security and enhancing the integrity of Nigeria's passport issuance process.
The Service explained that the implementation is being executed through a five-phase migration plan to reduce operational risks, avoid service disruptions and ensure a seamless transition.
It said the first three phases, completed between January 2025 and June 2026, successfully integrated passport offices across several states and more than 40 Nigerian diplomatic missions abroad into the centralized production system.
The fourth phase, scheduled for August 2026, will cover passport offices in Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Kano, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states, while the fifth and final phase, expected before the end of the year, will include Lagos passport offices and selected missions in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
The NIS stated that under the new arrangement, all passport booklets will be printed and security-personalized at a high-capacity production hub in Abuja before being dispatched to passport offices and designated foreign missions within two weeks.
It added that the centralized process eliminates manual intervention, prevents document manipulation, improves accountability and guarantees uniform quality standards with enhanced security features embedded in every Nigerian passport.
The Service urged Nigerians to continue applying for passports at their preferred passport offices, reaffirming its commitment to leveraging technology to improve service delivery while safeguarding the credibility and security of the nation's passport system.