Nigeria’s Immigration Service may increase cost of passport – Comptroller-General

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has hinted that the price of current passport booklet is no longer sustainable even as it awaits approval from President Muhammadu Buhari to effect changes.

The Comptroller-General, NIS, Muhammad Babandede, revealed this on Wednesday, in Abuja during the flag-off ceremony for capacity building programme on ICT for Immigration officers organized by Technologies Co. Nigeria Limited, Huawei.

Babandede attributed the delay and bottlenecks to the issuance of the e-passport booklets to Nigerians in and outside the country, to the high cost of materials, which he said, is through private partnership.

“It is not easy for us to pay for the booklets because of the cost. You will agree with me that air tickets have doubled in this country.

“You are aware that a lot of fees have changed but the passport fees have not changed. We cannot afford to service these passports with the current charges.

“We have written to the government, as soon as we have approval, we will be able to deliver the data bases but am telling you, currently, it’s not sustainable.

“It’s not sustainable because the prices are not competitive. These passport booklets are not handled by the government. It’s a private artnership. The part government has is labour, providing the offices.”