The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has denied reports that any region of the country has been barred from passport issuance, insisting that no part of Nigeria has been excluded from access to the service.
The clarification was contained in a press statement issued on Saturday, February 7, 2026, by the NIS Public Relations Officer, A.S. Akinlabi.
According to the Service, the claims stem from a misunderstanding of its ongoing reforms aimed at modernising passport production and administration nationwide.
The denial follows growing public concern and media reports suggesting that passport production activities in parts of the country, particularly the South-East, were being halted, raising fears of restricted access for applicants.
The NIS said these narratives were misleading and capable of generating unnecessary tension if left unaddressed.
What they are saying
Akinlabi explained that the NIS is implementing a phased onboarding system to migrate passport offices, including those in foreign missions, to a centralised production framework. He said the initiative is part of broader reforms that began in 2024 to strengthen efficiency, security, and integrity in passport administration.
- “The attention of the Nigeria Immigration Service has been drawn to a baseless online report claiming that a specific region of the country has been disqualified from passport issuance. NIS categorically states that this report is entirely false and a gross misrepresentation of the ongoing government reforms to modernize passport administration.”
- “The reality is that NIS has introduced a phased onboarding system to migrate passport offices, including those in foreign missions, to a centralized production framework.”
- “This modernization effort, which began in 2024, is designed to enhance the efficiency, integrity and security of Nigeria’s passport production system and not exclude any citizen.”
- “Consequently, the service has established a strict work-plan calendar to ensure this transition is seamless and does not disrupt delivery timelines as the goal is to drive the process towards greater efficiency.”
The NIS spokesperson added that passport offices in several North-East and North-Central states have already been successfully onboarded, alongside 35 international stations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America, while migration for the South-East states and additional foreign missions is currently ongoing.
Backstory
Concerns over passport access intensified following media reports of rising tension across South-Eastern states over allegations that the region’s only international passport production centre, located at the NIS zonal headquarters in Enugu, might be shut down.
The reports claimed that such a move could disrupt urgent travel plans for thousands of applicants.
According to the reports, a senior NIS staff member, who was quoted anonymously, alleged that the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had directed that passport production activities at the Enugu facility be halted.
It was further alleged that applications from South-Eastern states would be redirected to Abuja or Lagos for processing.
- The Enugu passport production centre currently serves the five South-East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.
- The centre is especially critical for emergency passport processing for applicants within the zone.
- Reports also alleged that a technical team from Abuja had begun dismantling key passport production machines at the facility.
These reports triggered public anxiety and speculation about possible regional exclusion before the NIS issued its formal clarification.
Why it matters
The clarification from the NIS is significant because any restriction on passport issuance along regional lines would raise serious concerns about equity, access, and inclusive governance. Passport services are a critical federal function, and access to them has direct implications for citizens’ mobility, employment, education, and emergency travel needs.
- The Enugu passport production centre serves millions of citizens across the South-East and plays a vital role in routine and emergency passport processing.
- Any disruption would force applicants to travel long distances to Abuja or other regions, increasing costs and delays.
- Such a development would further strain an already overstretched passport processing system nationwide.
Beyond logistics, the issue touches on broader questions of federal character and balanced distribution of national infrastructure, making the NIS response particularly important in calming public concerns.
What you should know
The Federal Government has been rolling out several digital and administrative reforms in the immigration and identity management space to improve service delivery. In November 2025, the government announced plans to launch the Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) system in January as part of these reforms.
- The STEP initiative is designed to help Nigerians abroad who lose their passports generate emergency travel documents digitally.
- The system will allow affected citizens to complete the process using mobile devices without visiting Nigerian embassies in person.
- STEP is expected to complement other initiatives such as the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card, which facilitates regional travel and enhances border security.
According to the NIS, these reforms, including the centralised passport production framework, are intended to expand access, improve efficiency, and ensure that no Nigerian is excluded from essential immigration services.
