The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has defended the 45% increase in Nigerian passport fees, attributing the hike to the exchange rate between the naira and the dollar.
During a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, Tunji-Ojo explained that the rise in costs was necessary to sustain the production and issuance of passports without government subsidies.
In August, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) announced the fee adjustments, increasing the cost of a 32-page passport with five-year validity from N35,000 to N50,000, while a 64-page passport with a 10-year validity rose from N70,000 to N100,000.
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Tunji-Ojo stated that the increase was based on a cost-benefit analysis and reflected the economic realities facing the country. “The rise in passport fees is due to the exchange rate. The government cannot subsidize everything, and this increase is only about 45%,” he said.
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The minister also clarified that the fee hike only affects residents in Nigeria, with no changes for Nigerians living abroad. While many citizens have expressed concerns, particularly those seeking to migrate, Tunji-Ojo maintained that the government had no alternative given the current economic circumstances.