Nigeria Makes History, Becomes First in Africa to Launch E-passport Offices in Italy, Spain, Others

Nigeria Makes History, Becomes First in Africa to Launch E-passport Offices in Italy, Spain, Others

  • In a recent development, the FG has opened e-passport offices in Italy, Spain and other countries
  • The government said the move aims to streamline passport acquisition for Nigerians residing in the diaspora.
  • It, however, said that the enhanced e-passport will be rolled out in two phases in Europe across affected countries

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over 3-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market

The Nigerian government has opened e-passport facilities at some selected Nigerian Embassies in Italy, Spain, Greece, Austria, and Switzerland. ⁣

Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the minister of interior, unveiled the facilities in Rome, Italy, on Monday, November 6, 2023.

Nigeria Makes History, Becomes, First in Africa to Launch e-passport Offices in Italy, Spain, Others
The minister of interior said the enhanced e-passport will be rolled out in phases in Europe. Photo credit: Visa Photo, Jacoblund
Source: Getty Images

He said the development is directed towards streamlining passport processing and acquisition for Nigerians residing in the diaspora.

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Enhanced e-passports will be rolled out in phases

The public relations officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Dr Dotun Aridegbe, disclosed this in a statement titled ‘Federal Government Unveils Enhanced e-Passport Facilities in Europe.’ ⁣

Tunji-Ojo, who was represented by Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju, acting comptroller-general of Immigration, said the enhanced e-passport will be rolled out in phases in Europe.

Phase one which encompasses Spain, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy was unveiled in Rome this Monday. Punch reported that Phase Two is expected to go into effect by the end of this week

The minister added that the e-passport satisfied all requirements established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

He said the development makes Nigeria the first nation in Africa and the fifth globally to take such a step.

According to the minister, the enhanced e-passport will solve the processing delays problem in Europe provided applicants adhere strictly to application guidelines.

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An important guideline includes utilizing the online application and payment platform at passport.immigration.gov.ng. In addition, applicants will need to ensure that information on their passport synchronizes with that of the National Identification Number.

Earlier, the interior minister announced that Nigerians will have their passports delivered to their homes, offices, or wherever they want, starting February 2024.

Legit.ng earlier examined the process of getting an internal passport.

“Don’t Pay Agents”: Nigerian immigration tells citizens, releases 3 links to apply for passport from home

Legit.ng earlier reported that the NIS warned Nigerians against paying agents to obtain passports.

In a post on Twitter, NIS emphasized that individuals can easily apply for and pay for their passports online without needing an intermediary.

The announcement was part of the agency's ongoing campaign to streamline the passport application process and reduce corruption.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Zainab Iwayemi avatar

Zainab Iwayemi (Business Editor) Zainab Iwayemi is a business journalist with over 5 years experience reporting activities in the stock market, tech, insurance, banking, and oil and gas sectors. She holds a Bachelor of Science (B.sc) degree in Sociology from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State. Before Legit.ng, she worked as a financial analyst at Nairametrics where she was rewarded for outstanding performance. She can be reached via zainab.iwayemi@corp.legit.ng