Breaking: FG Announces Action That Will Be Taken Against Citizens Who Renounce Nigeria
- The federal government directed the withdrawal and deactivation of passports held by individuals who formally renounced Nigerian citizenship
- Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service to enforce the directive in line with constitutional provisions
- Authorities clarified that affected individuals lost all citizenship rights, including access to national documents, as part of broader reforms to strengthen identity management
FCT, Abuja - The federal government has ordered the immediate withdrawal and deactivation of Nigerian passports held by individuals who have formally renounced their citizenship.
The directive was issued by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who instructed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to enforce the measure without delay.
Source: Twitter
According to a statement released by his media aide, the order applies strictly to individuals whose renunciation has been duly approved by the President, in accordance with constitutional provisions.
Tunji-Ojo said the decision is intended to protect the credibility of Nigeria’s citizenship system and prevent the misuse of official travel documents.
FG explains rationale behind move
The minister stressed that once citizenship is formally relinquished, all associated rights and privileges are automatically forfeited, including access to national identity and travel documents.
He noted that retaining a Nigerian passport after renunciation is no longer acceptable under existing laws, describing citizenship as the foundation of sovereign identity.
The move signals a firmer enforcement stance by authorities, particularly as it relates to documentation and nationality status, Premium Times reported.
Legal backing and constitutional provisions
The directive is anchored on Section 29 of the 1999 Constitution, which outlines the process for renouncing Nigerian citizenship, Vanguard reported.
“(1) Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation.(2) The President shall cause the declaration made under subsection (1) of this section to be registered and upon such registration, the person who made the declaration shall cease to be a citizen of Nigeria,” the statement noted.
The minister further emphasised that once the process is completed, affected individuals lose the legal right to hold any Nigerian sovereign document, including passports.
Implementation and compliance measures
Although no timeline was provided, the Nigeria Immigration Service is expected to begin compliance checks and deactivate affected passports in its system.
The government said the policy forms part of wider reforms aimed at strengthening identity management and border control mechanisms.
“We will continue to strengthen systems that secure Nigeria’s borders, prevent identity fraud, preserve the sanctity of Nigerian citizenship, and facilitate legitimate travel,” Mr Tunji-Ojo said.
Immigration announces new fee for Nigerian passport
Legit.ng earlier reported that the NIS announced increased passport fees effective September 1, 2025, applicable only to applications within Nigeria.
The service stated that the 32-page passport with 5-year validity would be issued for N100,000, while the 64-page passport with 10-year validity would now cost N200,000.
The service, however, noted that fees for Nigerians in the diaspora remain unchanged at $150 for the 32-page five-year passport and $230 for the 64-page 10-year passport.
Source: Legit.ng
