The Nigerian government has expressed its readiness to decentralise international passports’ issuance in the 774 Local Government Areas in the country to reduce the problem Nigerians face.
Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made this known when he visited the newly launched Maitama Passport Express Centre.
The former governor added that applicants would start receiving their passports within 24 hours as the plan progresses.
He said, “MPEC is in response to the yearnings of the general public for the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service to devise additional ways that the passport issuance process can be less stressful and more efficient.
“It is the future. The goal is to have a facility like this in every local government in the country.
Every Nigerian has the right to a Nigerian passport. It is our responsibility to put it in the hands of anyone desirous of it within the shortest possible time, without stress.
“The passport should be available in a maximum of 72 hours of a successful application. Where there are issues, the applicant must be notified within 48 hours.”
According to him, the commencement of the facility’s operations would offer Nigerians services of convenience and pleasure and take away stress noticeable in the conventional passport offices.
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, said the Express Centre’s inauguration was a step towards solving the problems associated with passport administration.