The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it has enrolled 16,785 Nigerians in its ongoing special passport intervention exercise in the United Kingdom, as efforts to improve passport services for citizens abroad continue.
The figure was disclosed by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, in an update on the 42nd day of the exercise, which recorded 414 new applicants across four centres on Thursday.
According to the update, Manchester recorded the highest number of applicants with 160 enrolments, followed by Cardiff with 92, while Aberdeen and London recorded 81 applicants each.
Akinlabi said passport production and dispatch for previously enrolled applicants were continuing without interruption, describing the exercise as orderly and well managed.
The intervention exercise is being conducted across four locations: London, Manchester, Aberdeen and Cardiff.
The programme initially commenced in London and Manchester before being expanded to include Aberdeen and Cardiff following increased demand from Nigerians residing in the UK.
The exercise recorded 1,477 enrolments within its first four days, while the cumulative figure rose to 5,099 by September 21.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, subsequently approved extensions to the programme to accommodate more applicants.
Under the exercise, applicants are required to book appointments through designated Nigeria Immigration Service platforms or the Nigerian High Commission’s website.
Applicants seeking passport renewals are also expected to present their existing passport booklets alongside completed application forms, payment receipts, appointment slips and self-addressed return envelopes.
The approved fees are $162 for a five-year passport booklet and $242 for a 10-year booklet, with cash payments prohibited at the centres.
The intervention is also being implemented in other countries, including the United States, Canada and Qatar, as part of efforts to bring passport services closer to Nigerians in the diaspora.
The NIS said applicants who are unable to secure physical appointment slots or prefer not to visit the centres can access its Contactless Passport Application System.
The UK exercise, initially scheduled for a shorter period, has been extended until November 27, 2026, to accommodate additional applicants.
