KEY POINTS
- NIS says 1,477 Nigerians have been processed and enrolled in the UK passport intervention exercise within four days.
- More than half of those enrolled have had their passports produced and dispatched.
- The exercise in London and Manchester has been extended from Sept. 19 to Oct. 3.
- Applicants must book appointments and complete payments through the approved automated channels.
MAIN STORY
The Nigeria Immigration Service has extended its special passport intervention exercise in London and Manchester to Oct. 3, following increased demand from Nigerians living in the United Kingdom.
The exercise, which was initially scheduled to end on Sept. 19, is being conducted to provide passport services to eligible Nigerians in the UK.
NIS Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Immigration Akinsola Akinlabi, said in a statement on Friday in Abuja that the exercise had recorded 1,477 successful enrolments within its first four days.
He said more than half of those enrolled had already had their passports produced and sent to their respective addresses.
According to Akinlabi, the extension was approved by the Service under the directive of the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, in response to the level of demand generated by the exercise.
He said the additional period would increase the capacity available to applicants and allow more eligible Nigerians to access the service.
Applicants are required to book appointments through the website of the High Commission of Nigeria in the UK before attending the intervention exercise.
Akinlabi said applicants must present a completed application form and payment receipt, appointment slip, current passport where applicable and a self addressed return envelope at their scheduled appointments.
He reiterated that passport applications and payments were fully automated and cashless.
The applicable fees remain $162 for a passport booklet valid for five years and $242 for a 10 year validity booklet.
Akinlabi warned that applicants were not required to make any additional payment to participate in the intervention exercise.
He said details of the extended dates, participating locations and appointment procedures would be communicated through the official channels of the NIS and the Nigerian High Commission in the UK.
The spokesperson thanked Nigerians in the UK for their patience and cooperation and reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to providing efficient and transparent passport services to Nigerians at home and abroad.
THE ISSUES
- The extension reflects the level of demand for passport services among Nigerians in the UK and the need to create additional capacity for applicants who could not be accommodated within the original period.
- The cashless application process is intended to limit physical handling of payments and keep the intervention exercise within the Service’s automated passport system.
- Applicants who do not follow the appointment process or arrive without the required documents may face delays, making compliance with the stated requirements important.
- The production and dispatch of more than half of the passports already processed indicates that the exercise involves not only enrolment but also completion and delivery of the documents.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“No additional charges are required to participate in the intervention exercise.” – Akinsola Akinlabi
“The extension was aimed at providing additional capacity to accommodate the increasing demand and ensure that as many eligible applicants as possible were attended to.” – Akinsola Akinlabi
WHAT’S NEXT
The intervention exercise in London and Manchester will continue until Oct. 3, 2026.
The NIS and the High Commission of Nigeria in the UK will provide further information on participating locations, appointment procedures and the extended dates through their official channels.
BOTTOM LINE
The NIS has extended its UK passport intervention exercise by two weeks to respond to increased demand. Nigerians seeking to use the service must complete the appointment and payment requirements through the approved channels.
