The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, cleared over 204,332 backlog of passport applications in 10 months.
Tunji-Ojo made this known while reeling out the Ministry’s achievements in the last one year at a media event in Abuja on Friday.
He assured Nigerians that never again will there be backlogs of passport applications in the country with the reform measures currently in place.
“In the last year, we introduced advanced border management technologies, including GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and other surveillance tools and infrastructure, to enhance national security.
“This technology allows for better monitoring and control of Nigeria’s extensive borders, ensuring that our immigration services are prepared to face modern security challenges.
“As you are aware, we embarked on a comprehensive overhaul of the passport issuance process, addressing long-standing issues that have frustrated millions of Nigerians.
“One of our key accomplishments was clearing a massive backlog of 204,332 passport applications, a backlog that had left many citizens stranded for months, if not years,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo said that the innovation was to ensure that Nigerians no longer have to endure the stress of traveling long distances or waiting in long queues all in the name of passport application.
According to him, the initiatives have enhanced both access and security, thereby making Nigerian passports more secure and respected worldwide.
The minister explained that the efforts are ongoing to ensure safe storage and retrieval of sensitive information and enhance the efficiency of national security operations, identity management and service delivery across the country.
Tunji-Ojo stated that the Federal Government had also embarked on installation of a total of 41 e-gates at the five international airports across the country for seamless screening of persons arriving the country.
According to him, eight are to be installed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, 21 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, and four each at Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt airports.