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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has enrolled 8,552 Nigerians in passport intervention exercises conducted in the United States, Canada, Qatar and the United Kingdom as part of efforts to address challenges confronting Nigerians seeking passport services abroad.
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The UK recorded the highest number of enrolments, with 5,099 Nigerians registered in London and Manchester, while Canada accounted for 2,257 enrolments across Manitoba, Toronto, Saskatoon, Alberta and New Brunswick.
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The intervention exercises, conducted in collaboration with Nigerian diplomatic missions and community representatives, followed a directive by Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to improve passport service delivery and bring services closer to Nigerians in the diaspora.
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NIS said the UK exercise is still ongoing, with passport production and dispatch being carried out concurrently, while applicants unable to secure appointment slots can utilise the Contactless Passport Application System.
September 21, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has enrolled 8,552 Nigerians in passport intervention exercises conducted in the United States, Canada, Qatar and the United Kingdom.
The Service disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday and signed by its Service Public Relations Officer, DCI Akinsola Akinlabi.
The intervention exercises are part of measures aimed at addressing passport service challenges confronting Nigerians living abroad and improving access to enrolment and renewal services in major diaspora communities.
According to the NIS, the exercises were conducted in line with the directive of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to improve passport service delivery to Nigerians in the diaspora and bring the services closer to them.
The Service said the exercises were carried out in collaboration with Nigerian diplomatic missions and representatives of Nigerian communities in the affected countries.
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Giving a breakdown of the figures, Akinlabi said 535 Nigerians were enrolled during the exercise conducted in Chicago, Michigan, and Milwaukee in the United States between September 7 and 15, 2026.
In Canada, 2,257 Nigerians were enrolled during exercises held in Manitoba, Toronto, Saskatoon, Alberta, and New Brunswick between September 6 and 19.
Qatar recorded 751 enrolments during the exercise conducted between August 9 and 24.
The United Kingdom recorded the highest number of enrolments, with 5,099 Nigerians registered in London and Manchester during the ongoing exercise.
The NIS said the UK intervention was still ongoing, with passport production and dispatch being carried out concurrently.
The arrangement, according to the Service, is intended to facilitate the processing and delivery of passports to applicants while making the service more accessible to Nigerians living in the country.
The NIS also addressed the issue of applicants who were unable to secure appointment slots during the intervention exercises. It said such applicants, as well as Nigerians who may prefer not to visit the designated centres or the Nigerian High Commission physically, could utilise the Contactless Passport Application System.
“Accordingly, applicants who were unable to secure appointment slots during the exercise, as well as those who may prefer not to physically visit the centres or the High Commission, are encouraged to utilise the Contactless Passport Application System,” the statement said.
The latest intervention comes against the background of continuing efforts by the Federal Government to improve passport administration and reduce difficulties faced by Nigerians seeking to obtain or renew their international passports.
For Nigerians living abroad, access to passport services can involve travelling considerable distances to diplomatic missions or designated enrolment centres, while high demand can also put pressure on available appointment slots.
The NIS has therefore continued to deploy intervention exercises to locations with significant Nigerian populations, enabling applicants to access enrolment services without relying solely on regular passport centres.
The figures released by the Service indicate that the United Kingdom accounted for nearly 60 per cent of the total enrolments recorded in the four countries, followed by Canada, Qatar and the United States.
The NIS said the intervention exercises demonstrated its commitment to providing accessible, efficient and timely passport services to Nigerians living outside the country.
The Service urged eligible applicants to take advantage of the available channels, including the Contactless Passport Application System, particularly where physical appointment slots are unavailable.
It said passport production and dispatch would continue alongside the ongoing enrolment exercise in the United Kingdom.
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