Nigeria passport production centralization reform

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has initiated a reform to centralize passport production at a Central Personalisation Centre in Abuja. This migration, scheduled to take effect on August 10, 2026, involves shifting production from ten regional centers—including locations in Kano, Gombe, and Port Harcourt—to the central hub. The NIS clarified that while booklets will be printed centrally, local offices will remain open for biometric enrollment and data capture to maintain service continuity.

The reform faced initial pushback from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), which rejected claims that the centralization was an attempt to marginalize Northern Nigeria. NANS supported the NIS assertion that the move is a nationwide effort to improve security and efficiency.

Subsequently, the Nigerian Senate endorsed the centralization. Senator Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila, following a visit to NIS headquarters, stated the reform is intended to strengthen national security, improve administrative efficiency, and curb corruption and extortion by aligning passport administration with international best practices.