Passport Scarcity: Federal Gov’t Orders Reactivation Of Faulty Equipment In Atlanta, New York
In a swift response to the passport scarcity affecting Nigerians in the Diaspora, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the reactivation of malfunctioning equipment at the passport offices in Atlanta and New York.
The directive followed several petitions from Nigerians abroad who raised concerns over the broken-down equipment at the consulates in these key U.S. cities, which had significantly hindered passport processing.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Alao Babatunde, Dr. Tunji-Ojo emphasized that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) had been instructed to deploy new printers to both locations to resolve the immediate challenges. The new printers are ready for installation and are part of a short-term solution aimed at alleviating the ongoing passport delays.
The Minister also highlighted that a long-term solution is being implemented to streamline the passport application process. As part of this plan, the Passport Personalisation Centre (PPC) in Abuja is set to begin operations in the coming weeks, which will significantly improve passport services. Additionally, more countries will soon benefit from the already-deployed contactless solution, which has been successfully launched in Canada.
The Ministry of Interior, under the leadership of Dr. Tunji-Ojo, has been working tirelessly to enhance the efficiency of passport services, with an emphasis on end-to-end automation of the application process. This automation has already been rolled out in Canada, with other countries to follow soon.
The Minister reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to ensure Nigerians abroad have convenient access to passport services, aligning with the Renewed Hope agenda. He also assured the public that national security remains a top priority while enhancing services for Nigerian citizens both at home and abroad.
