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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Northern Caucus of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has dismissed claims that the Federal Government’s ongoing passport centralisation programme was designed to marginalise Northern Nigeria, describing such allegations as misinformation and propaganda.
The association insisted that the reform was a nationwide initiative aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s passport issuance system, improving security and enhancing service delivery for all citizens.
NANS Vice President (External Affairs), Sadiq Zango, stated this on Thursday during a press conference in Abuja, where he addressed concerns raised by passport applicants and stakeholders across the North-East and North-West regarding the implementation of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Passport Centralisation Programme.
Zango said the association was compelled to respond to what it described as “deliberate falsehood” being circulated about the reform, stressing that the policy was not targeted at any region.
According to him, the migration of passport booklet production to the Central Personalisation Centre was purely an operational adjustment and does not prevent passport applications from being processed or passports issued at any immigration office nationwide or at Nigerian embassies and consulates abroad.
He explained that the reform was part of a broader modernisation programme designed to improve the integrity, security and efficiency of Nigeria’s passport system.
The NANS official disclosed that the NIS adopted a five-phase implementation plan to migrate passport offices across Nigeria and foreign missions to the new system while reducing possible disruptions to service delivery.
He noted that phases one to three of the migration process, which commenced in February 2025 and continued through 2026, covered passport offices in the North-Central, South-East and South-West zones, excluding Lagos offices, which would be migrated at a later stage.
He added that 41 Nigerian embassies and consulates across Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Oceania had also been integrated into the new system.
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Zango said the fourth phase of the programme, scheduled for August 2026, would cover remaining passport offices in the South-South, North-East and North-West regions.
The affected locations include Calabar, Port Harcourt, Uyo, Yenagoa, Bauchi, Gombe, Jalingo, Yola, Farm Centre Kano and Dawakin Kudu Kano.
“It is, therefore, far from the truth to assert that the Federal Government is trying to disenfranchise the North or any part of the country through the process,” NANS said.
The association said its independent enquiries revealed that the new framework would centralise only passport booklet printing and security personalisation at a secure, high-capacity facility in Abuja, while application processing and passport issuance would continue at immigration offices across the country.
It said the system was expected to ensure faster production timelines, with passports targeted for completion within two weeks.
NANS explained that centralising personalisation would also eliminate manual interference, reduce passport fraud and irregularities, improve accountability and ensure uniform quality standards through enhanced security features.
The student body commended the Nigeria Immigration Service for adopting technology-driven solutions to improve passport administration and align Nigeria’s travel document system with international standards.
It urged Nigerians, particularly those in the Northern region, to disregard claims that the reform was intended to disadvantage them, assuring citizens that the programme was designed to benefit all Nigerians.
The association maintained that the centralisation initiative would ultimately produce a more secure, efficient and internationally respected Nigerian passport system.
