The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed that a Ugandan woman was apprehended at Lagos Airport for allegedly paying $1,000 to illegally obtain a Nigerian passport.
Speaking at the Ministry of Interior’s mid-term performance retreat in Abuja, Tunji-Ojo said the case highlights the deep-rooted abuses that previously plagued Nigeria’s passport issuance system.
“A Ugandan woman carrying a Nigerian passport was arrested at Lagos Airport after paying $1,000 to procure it. That cannot continue. Our passport must remain a true symbol of Nigerian identity,” the minister stated.
He explained that the fraudulent practice thrived due to weak oversight, decentralized approvals, and a culture of corruption within the system.
“There was a time when some Passport Control Officers wielded so much power that they could delay or withhold approvals until they were ‘settled.’ That abuse ends now,” Tunji-Ojo declared.
The minister added that the federal government has overhauled the passport process by removing approval powers from individual officers and centralizing the system, drastically reducing opportunities for human interference.
The statement coincided with the Federal Government’s introduction of a new passport fee structure, effective September 1, 2025. Under the new fees, a 32-page, five-year passport will cost N100,000, while a 64-page, 10-year passport will be N200,000 for applications within Nigeria.
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