The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced the rollout of an upgraded passport tracking feature following sustained public complaints over delays in passport issuance and collection.
The Service disclosed the update on Thursday, saying it had taken note of growing frustration among applicants, many of whom complained that their passports had been produced but not collected, leading to confusion and prolonged waiting periods.
Under the updated system, a new status — “Produced (Passport Produced, Ready for Collection)” — has been added to the existing online passport tracker. According to the NIS, the feature is designed to give applicants clearer information on when their passports are ready for physical collection or available for courier delivery.
The Service explained that the enhancement would help applicants distinguish between passports still undergoing processing and those already produced but yet to be retrieved, thereby reducing uncertainty around processing timelines.
The move comes after weeks of heightened criticism on social media, where Nigerians, including prominent public figures, expressed anger over delays that reportedly stretched into several months. Some applicants also alleged deliberate bottlenecks within the system.
In a statement, the NIS said the new tracker status would improve transparency and keep applicants better informed. It noted that the update would allow users to see whether their passports were awaiting collection at an immigration office or had been produced but not yet delivered by courier.
One of the most high-profile complaints came from investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo, who shared his experience of waiting more than six months for a passport renewal despite completing payment and biometric capture in July 2025. His account generated widespread reactions online and reignited debate over the effectiveness of recent reforms in the immigration system.
In response, the NIS stated that Soyombo’s passport had already been produced and was ready for delivery, adding that delays can sometimes result from incomplete applications or technical issues on the platform.
The Service also reiterated that it had increased passport fees to improve efficiency and the quality of the travel document. The cost of a 32-page passport with five-year validity was raised from ₦50,000 to ₦100,000, while a 64-page passport with ten-year validity now costs ₦200,000, up from ₦100,000. The latest increase, which took effect on September 1, 2025, marked the second adjustment within a year, following an earlier hike in August 2024.
The NIS maintained that the reforms, including the updated tracking system, are part of broader efforts to modernise passport administration and address persistent challenges faced by applicants nationwide.
