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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [INTERNATIONAL]

5 clusters · 14 sources · 34 days · First seen · Last updated

Nigeria Immigration Service passport intervention in UK

Overview

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) initiated a plan to deploy a Passport Intervention Team to the United Kingdom to address application backlogs and assist the Nigerian diaspora. Directed by Interior Minister Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the mission aims to support first-time applicants, pending applications, and those with expiring passports. Following the initial announcement, the NIS finalized a schedule for the intervention to take place across four UK cities in September 2026. Services were set for London and Manchester from September 7 to 19, followed by Aberdeen and Cardiff from September 21 to 26. Specific venues included Layali Lounge in London, Nigerian House in Manchester, the Hilton Convention Centre in Aberdeen, and Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. Applicants were required to complete online forms and payments via the official portal prior to attending, as cash payments would not be accepted. However, the Manchester leg of the exercise reportedly ended in confusion. Applicants complained of poor organization, inadequate staffing, and a lack of security, leading to the involvement of UK police. The facility owner in Manchester also claimed he had not been paid. Amidst reports of delays and poor organization in Manchester and London, allegations surfaced regarding unauthorized administrative fees. Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo expressed concern over these difficulties, and the Federal Government officially denied imposing any charges beyond the standard fees of $150 for a five-year passport and $230 for a 10-year passport, excluding bank charges. The Ministry of Interior stated that consultations are ongoing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to resolve logistical challenges. In response to high demand, the NIS has extended the exercise until October 3, 2026. While noting initial challenges, the service reported that 1,477 Nigerians were processed within the first four days, with over half of those individuals having passports already dispatched.

Entities

Nigeria Immigration Service · Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo · Nigerian High Commission · United Kingdom · Manchester

Timeline

  1. about 11 hours ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 4 sources
    Nigeria Immigration Service extends UK passport exercise to October 3

    The Nigeria Immigration Service has extended its UK passport intervention exercise in London and Manchester to October 3, 2026, due to high demand from Nigerian applicants.

  2. 4 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 4 sources
    Nigeria denies extra fees amid UK passport intervention delays

    The Nigerian government has denied reports of extra fees and addressed complaints regarding delays and poor organization during a special passport intervention exercise for Nigerians in the UK.

  3. 5 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    Nigeria Immigration Service passport exercise in Manchester ends in confusion

    A Nigerian Immigration Service passport intervention in Manchester reportedly faced chaos due to poor staffing and organization. The NIS is now asking UK-based applicants to submit details to resolve pending's.

  4. 11 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    Nigeria Immigration Service announces passport intervention in four UK cities

    The Nigeria Immigration Service is launching a passport intervention exercise in London, Manchester, Aberdeen, and Cardiff in September 2026 to assist Nigerians in the UK with applications and renewals.

  5. about 1 month ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 10 sources
    Nigeria Immigration Service deploys passport intervention team to UK

    The Nigeria Immigration Service is deploying a specialized team to the UK starting August 10, 2026, to process new, pending, and renewal passport applications for Nigerians in the diaspora.

Sources

businessday.ng · chronicle.ng · gwg.ng · nairametrics.com · newscentral.africa · newsnowonline.com.ng · nigerianeye.com · osundefender.com · premiumtimesng.com · prnigeria.com · punchng.com · solacebase.com · thegeniusmedia.com.ng · thenigerialawyer.com

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history