The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially launched additional enhanced e-passport processing centers in select Nigerian embassies across Europe. The inauguration ceremony took place at the Nigerian Embassy in Rome.
These new passport processing centers are part of the government’s commitment to streamlining the process of acquiring passports for Nigerian nationals residing in the diaspora.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, emphasized the dedication of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to citizens’ diplomacy and enhancing services for the diaspora community.
The Interior Minister, represented by the Acting Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Caroline Adepoju, announced the phased rollout of the enhanced e-passport in Europe. Phase one of this rollout includes Italy, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, and Spain, officially introduced in Rome. Phase two is scheduled to be implemented by the end of the week.
The enhanced e-passport issued complies with the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, positioning Nigeria as the first country in Africa and the fifth globally to embrace this technological achievement.
The new e-passport is expected to significantly reduce processing delays for Nigerian citizens in Europe, provided applicants adhere strictly to the application guidelines. These guidelines include using the online application and payment platform at passport.immigration.gov.ng and ensuring the synchronization of their passport application data with their National Identification Number.
Notably, the advanced travel document offers three categories: a 32-page, five-year validity category, a 64-page, five-year validity category, and a 64-page, ten-year validity category (for adults only).
The inauguration event witnessed the presence of senior officials from the High Commission, a diverse representation of Nigerians in Italy, and members of the diplomatic community. This move is expected to make passport processing more efficient and accessible for Nigerian expatriates in Europe.