Japa: Immigration lists causes of passport delays as Nigerian passport ranks low globally

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has put the delay in the processing and issuing of some international passports to Nigerian applicants on inconsistencies in identification, such as National Identification Numbers (NINs).

At the 60th anniversary celebration of the agency in the state, Sunday James, the controller of the service in Rivers State, informed the audience in Port Harcourt.

This is coming amid report by Legit.ng that the Nigerian passport's global ranking has moved up 10 places but is still among the worst in the world. Read more on how to get international passport in Nigeria.

According to Henley Passport Index’ latest third-quarter index published, the Nigerian passport is now ranked 90th globally, an improvement from the 100th spot in the same period in 2022.

Inconsistencies in data has been the issue

In his speech, James described the history of the Nigerian passport and claimed that inconsistencies in identity data, such as the NIN, were to blame for the delays in processing and passport issuance, according to Channels TV.

The controller continued on the margins of the event, saying that the service has changed since its inception.

Officers from related security organisations were present, and the event's highlights included the display of passports, residency permits, and other identification documents.

As part of celebrations for the occasion, NIS employees lined up for inspection at the Federal Secretariat building.

Men and officers from the service, as well as members of the public and other stakeholders, gathered in the conference room to celebrate the service.