Has Nigeria Immigration Service Suspended Passport Services in Kano? NIS Speaks
- The Nigeria Immigration Service issued a clarification on August 5 after a directive to migrate 10 passport branches triggered backlash across affected states
- The internal circular dated Monday, August 3, 2026, listed Farm Centre Kano, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and seven other centres for migration to the Central Personalisation Centre
- Former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad and other critics called on NIS to reverse the decision, citing Kano's population and economic significance
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering migration issues in Nigeria and Africa.
Kano, Kano state - The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Wednesday, August 5, pushed back against claims that it suspended passport operations in Kano.
Legit.ng reports that the NIS insisted that a directive to consolidate passport production at the Central Personalisation Centre is an administrative upgrade and not a shutdown.
Source: Twitter
Why is NIS centralising passports?
The clarification came days after an internal circular dated August 3, 2026, from the Passport and Other Travel Document Directorate approved the migration of 10 passport branches to the Central Personalisation Centre, effective Monday, August 10, 2026.
The 10 passport centres listed in the circular are Farm Centre Kano, Dawakin Kudu Kano, Jalingo, Gombe, Yola, Bauchi, Port Harcourt, Uyo, Calabar, and Yenagoa. Under the new arrangement, passport booklets for these centres will be dispatched from the Central Personalisation Centre and delivered directly back to each location once processed.
NIS said the change affects only the production logistics of passports, not the enrolment process.
The Service said in its response:
"Applicants can still visit their local centres to complete biometric data capture seamlessly. This centralised production framework is designed to align with global security standards, streamline processing timelines, and significantly safeguard the integrity of the Nigerian passport."
Furthermore, the agency stated that passport capture centres remain fully operational and that booklets will be returned to local commands within standard delivery timelines.
Why are Kano leaders protesting?
The circular drew the sharpest reaction from Kano, where stakeholders argued that removing passport production from the state would create hardship for residents and businesses. Former presidential aide to late Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, urged the service to reconsider.
Ahmad wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
"Kano is Nigeria's most populous state and serves as the commercial and economic hub of Northern Nigeria. Given our strategic importance, the state deserves adequate immigration services that reflect its population size and significance."
In the same vein, X user Ahmad Loriman criticised the move, describing Kano as a major commercial hub in northern Nigeria and calling on federal lawmakers from the state to intervene and push for the passport production centres to be restored.
Source: Facebook
NIS maintained that the migration is part of a broader modernisation drive.
In February 2025, the service introduced a contactless passport application system allowing Nigerians to apply, submit biometrics, and make payments online. The service also moved all Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) applications exclusively online from August 2025, ending the use of physical forms as part of the Federal Government's immigration digitalisation programme.
Legit.ng understands that the latest transfer of passport production functions to the Central Personalisation Centre appears to be part of the broader centralisation and digitisation drive, which the NIS says is aimed at improving security, efficiency, and the integrity of the nation's passport system.
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Read the Nigeria Immigration Service's clarification in full on X below:
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NIS introduces contactless passport renewal
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the NIS unveiled an updated step-by-step guide for its Contactless Passport Application System, making it easier for eligible Nigerians living abroad to renew their passports without physically visiting a Nigerian embassy or high commission for biometric enrolment.
The updated guide outlines how applicants can complete most of the passport renewal process remotely through the NIS online portal and mobile application.
It is understood that the new initiative is part of the federal government's ongoing efforts to digitise passport services, reduce processing delays and improve access for Nigerians in the diaspora.
Source: Legit.ng
