The Nigeria Immigration Service has announced that users of its digital passport platform may face temporary service interruptions, slow response times, or limited access.
The agency said this will occur during a scheduled system maintenance exercise running from 12:00am on Friday, December 12, to 6:00am on Sunday, December 14 (GMT).
The public notice, signed by Service Public Relations Officer ACI AS Akinlabi, said the maintenance aims to enhance system performance and reinforce the security and reliability of the digital passport platform.
Technical teams will work continuously throughout the period to restore full functionality once the upgrade is complete.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service wishes to inform the general public that it is carrying out routine maintenance on its Passport Digital Platform to enhance system performance and overall user experience.
“The maintenance window will run from 12:00am on 12 December 2025 to 6:00am on 14 December 2025 (GMT). During this period, users will experience temporary service interruptions, slow response times, or limited access to selected NIS Passport Services,” the statement read in part.
Users requiring assistance during the maintenance window are advised to contact the NIS Support Team via email, official social media handles, or designated contact centre numbers, all of which will remain operational throughout the exercise. The Service urged users to remain patient while the upgrade is carried out.
What you should know
The ongoing maintenance comes amid broader efforts by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to improve its digital passport services across the country.
In September 2025, the Service launched a centralised digital passport personalisation system capable of producing up to 5,000 passports daily, a significant jump from the previous 250–300 capacity across multiple centres.
- The new facility, built in partnership with IRISMAT Technologies Limited, deploys advanced machines capable of producing up to 1,000 passports per hour, allowing the NIS to meet daily passport demands within four to five hours of operation.
- These upgrades are designed to reduce processing delays significantly and move the country closer to achieving its goal of one-week passport delivery for applicants.
However, the drive for efficiency comes at increased costs for Nigerians. As reported by Nairametrics, a 32-page passport with 5-year validity now costs N100,000, up from N50,000, while a 64-page passport with 10-year validity is N200,000, up from N100,000. The new rates took effect on September 1, 2025.
