The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has inaugurated the newly established Passport Front Office, a specialised facility designed to facilitate timely and seamless passport processing for senior public officials and other designated individuals.
According to the Director of Press in the Ministry, Ozoya Imohimi, the facility was established in response to the persistent challenges faced by senior government officials who previously experienced hitches in accessing passports.
He quoted the minister as saying that, “before now, many top-level public servants had to abandon their official duties and endure long queues at standard passport offices.”
He further said that, “It became clear that for us to serve the nation more effectively, we must also serve those tasked with its leadership more efficiently.”
Commending the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) for its professionalism and expertise, Dr. Tunji-Ojo highlighted the collaboration between the Ministry and critical partners such as Iris Smart Technologies, which supplied the state-of-the-art digital infrastructure powering the new front office.
“This facility sets a new benchmark for excellence and will significantly improve access, reduce waiting time, and elevate the overall passport service delivery standard
Dr. Tunji-Ojo emphasised that this initiative is part of a broader reform effort championed by the Ministry since 2023.
“When we came in, it was shocking to realise that the Ministry of Interior and the Nigerian Immigration Service had no dedicated passport facility for public officials. Today marks a turning point as we begin to bridge that gap and set a new course for service delivery in our nation,” the Minister said.
The Minister used the opportunity to inform Nigerians of the reformation of the Renewed Hope Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in every sector of the economy.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, commended all stakeholders in the passport ecosystem, emphasising the importance of the newly commissioned office.
“This is a very significant occasion,” she remarked, “as the Passport Front Office serves as a dedicated, high-priority channel for the dignified and efficient processing of passport applications for key public officials whose mobility is crucial to national service,” she said.
The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Water Resources, Professor Joseph Utsev, and all the Heads of para-military Services under the Ministry and representatives from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
