Mrs. Caroline Adepoju, the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), announced plans to expand passport service points catering to the requirements of Nigerians living abroad.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday, Adepoju highlighted ongoing efforts aimed at simplifying passport processing within the country.
“I have it on good authority that in the UK, we have over four million Nigerians, and this number increases every day because of the “Japa syndrome”; families that relocated, students, and those in search of greener pastures and jobs.
“So all hands are on deck to ensure that we create more service points in the UK, Canada, and the USA.
”We listen to the plight of our nationals, we hear their cries and we are working hard and by the grace of God, we will get there,” she said.
Adepoju said the service had opened three additional passport processing centers in Nigeria located at Ikorodu, Offa, and Ile-Oluji to ease demands on passport centers in Lagos, Kwara, and Ondo states.
“More are coming, we are going to Ibadan, Badagry, we will look at everywhere we have a high volume of applications.
“I want Nigerians to continue to support me, understand, and be aware that they owe us the duty of ensuring that they apply for their passports when it is about six months before the expiry date, that will ease the pressure on them and the system.
”And Nigerians should stop patronizing touts. Nigerians can apply for International Passport online and can make payments and book appointments online.
“Very soon, we are looking at making everything digital so that there would be minimal human interference,” the NIS CG said.
She also appealed to those in the diaspora whose passports were tied to their stay and status abroad always to be conscious of the need to renew their passports on time.