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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has denied reports claiming that any region of the country has been barred from passport issuance, insisting that no part of Nigeria has been excluded from access to the service.
The clarification was contained in a press statement issued on Saturday, February 7, 2026, by the NIS Public Relations Officer, A.S. Akinlabi.
According to the Service, the reports arose from a misunderstanding of ongoing reforms aimed at modernising passport production and administration nationwide.
The denial follows growing public concern and media reports suggesting that passport production activities in parts of the country, particularly the South-East, were being halted, raising fears of restricted access for applicants. The NIS described such narratives as misleading and capable of generating unnecessary tension if left unaddressed.
What the NIS is saying
Akinlabi explained that the NIS is implementing a phased onboarding system to migrate passport offices, including those in foreign missions, to a centralised passport production framework. He said the initiative forms part of broader reforms that began in 2024 to strengthen efficiency, security, and integrity in passport administration.
“The attention of the Nigeria Immigration Service has been drawn to a baseless online report claiming that a specific region of the country has been disqualified from passport issuance,” Akinlabi said.
“The NIS categorically states that this report is entirely false and a gross misrepresentation of the ongoing government reforms to modernise passport administration.”
He added that the phased onboarding system is designed to ensure a seamless transition without disrupting service delivery timelines. According to him, passport offices in several North-East and North-Central states have already been successfully onboarded, alongside 35 international stations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.
He noted that migration for South-East states and additional foreign missions is currently ongoing, stressing that the reforms are not intended to exclude any Nigerian citizen.
Backstory
Concerns over passport access intensified following reports alleging that passport production activities at the NIS zonal headquarters in Enugu might be halted. The Enugu passport production centre serves the five South-East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo, and plays a critical role in routine and emergency passport processing within the zone.
Some reports claimed that applications from South-Eastern states would be redirected to Abuja or Lagos, while others alleged that key passport production machines at the Enugu facility were being dismantled. These reports triggered public anxiety and speculation before the NIS issued its formal clarification.
Why it matters
The clarification is significant because any regional restriction on passport issuance would raise serious concerns about equity, access, and inclusive governance. Passport services are a critical federal function with direct implications for citizens’ mobility, employment, education, and emergency travel needs.
Any disruption at the Enugu centre would force applicants to travel long distances for passport services, increasing costs, delays, and pressure on already overstretched processing centres nationwide.
What you should know
The Federal Government has been rolling out digital and administrative reforms in the immigration space to improve service delivery. In November 2025, the government announced plans to launch the Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) system to support Nigerians abroad who lose their passports.
According to the NIS, the centralised passport production framework and related reforms are aimed at expanding access, improving efficiency, and ensuring that no Nigerian is excluded from essential immigration services.
