Many Nigerians have expressed their displeasure following the announcement by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Friday that the Federal Government would not reduce nor subsidise the rate of purchasing the international passport in the country.
Justifying the recent increase in passport fees, he clarified that the rise was approximately 45%, attributing the fee adjustment to the exchange rate between the dollar and the naira.
As per the new structure, the cost of a 32-page passport booklet with a five-year validity increased from N35,000 to N50,000, while a 64-page passport booklet with a 10-year validity rose from N70,000 to N100,000.
Meanwhile, some Nigerians who had in August kicked against the new price when the Nigerian Immigration Service announced an upward review of the fees for Nigerian Standard Passports, said it was a ploy by the Federal Government to frustrate efforts by Nigerians to travel out of the country for greener pastures.
They expressed disappointment over the fee hike, accusing the government of making japa (migration) more expensive.
Speaking, a Nigerian, Fidelis Okoro noted that the Federal Government was expected to have subsidized the increment, adding that the Minister’s insistence on the hike fees is not welcome.
Another citizen, Agali, who shared his disappointment with the government in a chat with Investors King, said, “Now the government is increasing taxes and fees and fattening its IGR base on the detriment of poor masses. Even those who struggle to leave the country are not spared. I, for one had expected that the government should have subsidized passport fees but with this announcement by the minister, I am disappointed.”
But, the minister, while speaking at a media briefing in Abuja to mark his first year in office, explained the reason why the government could not subsidise passport fees for Nigerians.
He also clarified that the price increase did not affect the fees for Nigerians living abroad.
The minister explained that the increase in passport fees is a matter of cost-benefit analysis, especially when considering the exchange rate between the dollar and the naira, adding that if the government were to subsidise anything, he doesn’t think it should be passports.
“The increase is just from N35,000 to N50,000 — only about 45%. There has been no increase for Nigerians abroad,” he maintained.
He stressed that the government was not exploiting Nigerians but simply covering the cost of passport procurement.
Tunji-Ojo also revealed that Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly those in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, would soon enjoy more seamless passport acquisition processes.
