Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed that the Federal Government has produced more than 3.6 million international passports since the current administration assumed office in 2023.
Speaking at the International Civil Service Conference 2026 in Abuja, the minister said sweeping automation reforms transformed passport processing nationwide, helping the ministry clear an inherited backlog of over 270,000 passports in less than three weeks.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the old system made obtaining a passport difficult even after payment had been made, but the introduction of automated processes has significantly improved efficiency and service delivery.
“We automated the process. Let people speak to systems, not people speaking to people. When people speak to systems, it enhances efficiency,” he said.
The minister disclosed that Nigeria can now produce up to 10,000 passports per hour following the establishment of a world-class centralized passport personalization centre in Abuja — the first of its kind since 1963.
He described the reform as a major shift from slow, manual and fragmented operations to a technology-driven system focused on speed, accountability and citizens’ experience.
Tunji-Ojo stressed that governance should be measured by results rather than excuses, insisting that outdated bureaucratic practices must give way to innovation and digital transformation.
“In the 21st century, business as usual has no place in public service. Nigerians invested their trust in us for results, not excuses,” he stated.
The minister added that the revamped passport system has reduced delays, eliminated unnecessary bottlenecks and strengthened public confidence in the country’s immigration services.
He maintained that the new Abuja centre symbolizes Nigeria’s determination to modernize public institutions and deliver faster, more reliable services to citizens.
