The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) cleared over 204,332 backlogs of passports in less than three weeks, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said.
Tunji-Ojo, made this known while outlining his ministry’s achievements in the last year at a media event organised by the ministry on Friday in Abuja.
He assured Nigerians that never again will there be backlogs of passports in Nigeria, with the reform measures in place.
“In the last year, we introduced advanced border management technologies, including GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and other surveillance tools and infrastructure, to enhance national security.
“This technology allows for better monitoring and control of Nigeria’s extensive borders, ensuring that our immigration services are prepared to face modern security challenges.
“As you are aware, we embarked on a comprehensive overhaul of the passport issuance process, addressing long-standing issues that have frustrated millions of Nigerians.
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“One of our key accomplishments was clearing a massive backlog of 204,332 passport applications, a backlog that had left many citizens stranded for months if not years,” he said.
He added, “Today, I can proudly say that we have not only addressed this challenge, but we have introduced home delivery services for passports.”
Tunji-Ojo said that the innovation was to ensure that Nigerians no longer have to endure the stress of travelling long distances or waiting in long queues in the name of obtaining a passport.
“Passports are now delivered directly to the homes of applicants, a service that has brought immense relief to thousands.
“The NIS has also implemented contactless technology, streamlining the passport application process and improving overall efficiency.
“The days of bottlenecks and endless paperwork are behind us. Today, Nigerians experience a faster, more transparent, and seamless passport issuance process.
“We have also established a cutting-edge data centre at the NIS with an impressive storage capacity of 1.4 petabytes.
“This state-of-the-art facility is designed to securely house and manage a vast array of critical national information, including the biometric data and personal records of Nigerian citizens,” he added.
The minister explained that the efforts were to ensure the safe storage and retrieval of sensitive information and to enhance the efficiency of national security operations, identity management, and service delivery across the country.
Tunji-Ojo stated that the Federal Government had also embarked on the installation of a total of 41 e-gates at the five international airports across the country for seamless screening of people arriving in the country.
According to him, eight are to be installed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, 21 are slated for the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, and four each at Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt airports.
