The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to order the reversal of the new passport fees announced by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), describing them as “arbitrary, unlawful, unjustified, and excessive.”
The NIS had last week introduced new rates to take effect on September 1, 2025. Under the policy, a 32-page, five-year validity passport will cost ₦100,000, while the 64-page, 10-year validity passport will cost ₦200,000.
This marks the second increase in a year after a similar hike on September 1, 2024.
In a letter obtained by First Daily on Sunday, August 31, dated August 30, 2025, and signed by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said: “The unlawfully high fees amount to a discriminatory denial of access to a passport to millions of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians and unlawful restrictions of their other citizenship rights.”
The group noted, “Millions of disadvantaged Nigerians cannot realistically afford to pay the increased fees.
“These Nigerians should not be forced to spend their limited and grossly inadequate income to pay the increased fees instead of spending it on their basic living needs.”
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According to SERAP, “The increased fees will hit hardest those at the bottom of the economy. The Minister of Interior and the Comptroller General of the NIS have a legal responsibility to ensure an appropriate balance between the imposition of excessive passport fees on citizens and the safeguarding of citizens’ rights.”
It added: “Nigerians who cannot afford to pay the excessive fees would be denied the effective enjoyment of their citizenship rights…
“The unreasonable and disproportionate increase in passport fees is incompatible with the provisions of chapters 2 and 4 of the Nigerian Constitution.”
The organisation warned: “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days… If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your government, the Minister and Comptroller General to comply with our request in the public interest.”
SERAP said the unlawful hike would “contribute further to the impoverishment of the population” and “violate Nigerians’ right to travel or leave their country.”