The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has confirmed a major upward review of passport fees, raising costs for new applications and renewals in-country. Beginning 1 September 2025, the 32-page booklet with five-year validity will rise to N100,000, while the 64-page with ten-year validity will cost N200,000. This represents a near fourfold increase from the previous N26,000 rate for the smaller booklet.
The Official Position
In a statement signed by Public Relations Officer A. S. Akinlabi, the Service explained that the adjustment is targeted at “upholding the quality and integrity of the Nigerian passport”. The change only applies to applications submitted in Nigeria.
Passport fees for Nigerians in the diaspora remain at $150 for the 32-page and $230 for the 64-page, unchanged from previous years.
A Second Hike in Twelve Months
This is the second increase in one year. In August 2024, the government raised the 32-page fee from N35,000 to N50,000 and the 64-page fee from N70,000 to N100,000. Authorities at the time framed the hike as a cost alignment to maintain global standards.
The new jump pushes the 32-page booklet cost up by 185 per cent in less than two years.
Reform Context
Nigeria’s passport system has undergone significant restructuring since 2023 under Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. Key interventions include:
- Clearing a backlog of 200,000 applications within two weeks of assuming office.
- Rolling out home delivery of passports from June 2024 to reduce queues at immigration centres.
- Boosting the passport’s international standing, with the Henley Passport Index 2025 ranking Nigeria 88th out of 199 countries, its best in eleven years.
These steps have been positioned as part of a broader effort to modernise identity infrastructure and align Nigeria with global peers.
Implications
While the NIS argues the increase is necessary for quality assurance, the impact on ordinary Nigerians is steep. For workers, students and families needing travel documents, the new pricing may deepen affordability gaps.
Industry analysts note that Nigeria’s move mirrors trends in other African markets where governments are raising document fees to plug revenue shortfalls. Yet without visible service improvements, public backlash could undermine trust.
Looking Ahead
The new fee regime takes effect in days, and its acceptance will depend on whether service delivery keeps pace with rising costs. For policymakers, the measure tests how far citizens can absorb fiscal adjustments in exchange for better passport integrity.
Techsoma Africa will monitor citizen response, diaspora reactions, and the government’s ability to sustain reform momentum.
