The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced a sharp increase in the cost of international passports, with new rates set to take effect from September 1, 2025.
According to a statement issued Thursday by Immigration spokesman A.S. Akinlabi, the reviewed fees apply only to applications made in Nigeria. A 32-page passport with a five-year validity will now cost ₦100,000, while a 64-page passport with a ten-year validity has been raised to ₦200,000 — representing about a 100% increase from the old fees.
For Nigerians abroad, passport fees remain unchanged at $150 for a 32-page, five-year document and $230 for a 64-page, ten-year passport.
The NIS said the review balances the need for quality service delivery with accessibility for all Nigerians.
The increase comes at a time when Nigeria is witnessing record unemployment and a mass migration wave, popularly known as the “Japa” phenomenon. Large numbers of young Nigerians and middle-class professionals are relocating to the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Europe in search of better opportunities.
Nigerians in the diaspora have become a major contributor to the nation’s economy, remitting over $20 billion annually as of 2023, according to World Bank data.
African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina has described the Japa trend as a significant loss for Africa, urging leaders to invest in the continent’s youth. “I do not believe that the future of our young people lies in Europe; it doesn’t lie in America, it doesn’t lie in Canada, Japan or China; it should lie in Africa growing well, growing robustly and able to create quality jobs for our young people,” he said.
