FG Clears ₦20bn Debt, Processes Over 3.5m Passports Under Tinubu Administration
The Federal Government has cleared a ₦20 billion debt and resolved a backlog of over 200,000 passport applications inherited before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced on Tuesday. Speaking at the inauguration of a new Passport Front Office in Abuja, Tunji-Ojo said the achievement was part of the broader reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda, which has so far resulted in the issuance of over 3.5 million passports in less than two years. “When we came in, there was a backlog of over 200,000 passports and nearly ₦20 billion in debt. Today, that backlog has been cleared, and the debt has been settled,” the minister stated. From August 2023, a total of 3,546,258 passports have been processed: 3,080,141 locally and 466,117 in the diaspora. He credited the improvements to reforms that also saved the government over ₦1 billion annually. A key move, he said, was the automation of breeder document uploads—such as birth and marriage certificates—previously managed by expensive third-party contractors. “This is a major reform. We no longer pay contractors for what Nigerians can upload themselves. That money stays with government now,” Tunji-Ojo noted. To enhance accessibility and global recognition, the number of centres issuing enhanced e-passports has expanded from 26 to 44 locally, and from five to 47 internationally. All passport offices now issue harmonised, ICAO-compliant enhanced passports, eliminating inconsistencies that previously undermined Nigeria’s global travel credibility. He also announced that a central passport personalisation facility—funded at zero cost to the government by Iris Smart Technologies—will launch in August 2025, further modernising Nigeria’s passport infrastructure. Nigeria has also joined the International Civil Aviation Organization Public Key Directory (ICAO PKD), allowing global digital authentication of its passports. Additionally, the minister revealed that from July 31, 2025, all applications for Special Expatriate Permits and Temporary Work Permits must be submitted online only, citing national security and transparency. “Manual processing will no longer be allowed. We must have the data, biometrics, and documentation of every applicant,” he said. The reforms, according to Tunji-Ojo, are rooted in a commitment to digital transformation, transparency, and national security, while eliminating systemic inefficiencies and ensuring citizens get timely, secure, and world-class services.