THE Federal Government has increased passport fees by 100 per cent.
The decision, announced by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Thursday, August 28, which will take effect from next Monday, September 1.
A statement on the decision, released on the website of the Service, said the increment aimed at ensuring the quality and integrity of the Nigerian Standard Passport.
The 32-page passport was raised from N50,000 to N100,000, while the 62-page passport was hiked from N100,000 to N200,000.
The ICIR reports that the decision affects only citizens living in Nigeria. Those in the diaspora were exempted. Part of the statement reads, “The review, which only affects passport application fees made in Nigeria, now set a new fee threshold for 32-page with 5-year validity at N100,000 and 64-page with 10-year validity at N200,000.
“Meanwhile, Nigerian passport application fees made by Nigerians in diaspora remain unchanged at $150 for 32-page with 5-year validity and $230 for 64-page with 10-year validity.”
The Service restated its commitment to providing quality service while ensuring that passport services remain accessible to all Nigerians.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.