The Federal Government has dismissed reports suggesting that Nigerians applying for international passports in the United Kingdom are being subjected to additional charges under the ongoing special passport intervention exercise.
The clarification followed complaints from some Nigerians over delays and difficulties experienced at intervention centres, particularly in Manchester.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, expressed concern over the situation and assured applicants that steps were being taken to address the challenges affecting the exercise.
According to a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde, the intervention programme was introduced to provide Nigerians in the UK with more options for processing their passport applications.
The ministry explained that applicants are required to pay only the approved fees of $150 for a five-year passport and $230 for a 10-year passport, excluding applicable bank charges.
The government stressed that neither the Ministry of Interior nor the Nigeria Immigration Service had introduced any additional charges beyond the stipulated passport fees.
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Tunji-Ojo also disclosed that consultations were ongoing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to resolve the difficulties being encountered by applicants and ensure that the inconveniences do not continue.
He encouraged Nigerians in the UK to make use of the contactless biometric passport application system, which he described as a seamless alternative for processing their applications.
The government’s clarification came after a social media complaint by Oluomo of Derby, who criticised the experience at the Passport Intervention Centre in Manchester.
Oluomo alleged that applicants who arrived at the centre as early as 9:00 a.m. were still waiting several hours later without being attended to. He called on the authorities to improve the organisation and communication surrounding the exercise.
The Federal Government, however, reaffirmed its commitment to improving passport services and providing better services for Nigerians both within the country and abroad.