Nigerians in the UK have protested delays and alleged extra fees during the NIS Special Passport Intervention, as Minister Tunji-Ojo denies new charges
UK Nigerians Protest Passport Delays, Extra Fees as NIS Intervention Sparks Outrage
Nigerians living in the United Kingdom have expressed outrage over delays, long waiting times and alleged poor organisation during the ongoing Special Passport Intervention organised by the Nigeria Immigration Service.
The complaints, which have spread across social media, followed difficulties experienced by applicants seeking to obtain new passports, renew existing ones or resolve pending applications under the intervention programme.
The NIS announced the exercise in August as part of efforts to clear the backlog of passport applications among Nigerians in the UK.
The first phase of the intervention is scheduled to run from September 7 to 19 in London and Manchester.
Ahead of the exercise, the NIS directed applicants to complete their applications online and make payments through its passport application portal before attending the intervention centres, warning that applicants who “fail to do so will not be attended to.”
However, videos and photographs showing crowds of Nigerians outside an intervention centre in Manchester surfaced online on Monday, with applicants alleging hours-long delays and poor coordination.
One applicant, Agbaeze Ejem, who said he attended the exercise in London, said he arrived at the venue at 9am but was still unable to complete the process several hours later, despite the low turnout when he arrived.
Another Nigerian X user, @aadeolaa, wrote, “A 9am appointment is yet to be attended to at 12 noon. Mind you, people paid £70 for these shambles.”
A Nigerian social worker based in Manchester, who uses the handle Iamlyday1, described the situation as “deplorable and wholly inadequate.”
“It is deplorable and wholly inadequate,” she wrote.
“You announce a passport intervention for Nigerians in parts of the UK; people rearrange their lives to attend. Some reportedly arrive early, and what greets them is chaos, poor planning, and people waiting for hours without being attended to,” she added.
Another Nigerian expressed frustration over having to take time off work to renew a passport.
“I hate that I have to say that I hate Nigeria, but it has really gotten to that point. Told my manager I need to take Friday off to go and queue to get my passport renewed and he couldn’t believe his ears,” the user wrote.
Another applicant said the experience was damaging Nigeria’s image abroad.
“Nigeria immigration organised a passport immigration intervention exercise in Manchester, United Kingdom. Several hours later the people are yet to see the officials. This is why they laugh at us. I’ve not seen any other country that goes through such excruciating pains to renew their international passport,” the Nigerian wrote.
The complaints also extended to the alleged use of a venue in London and claims of additional charges being demanded from applicants.
According to Nigerian social media user Olamide Obe, the Lebanese-owned Lavali Lounge in London was reportedly booked by the NIS as a venue for the intervention but was allegedly not paid for its use.
Obe also alleged that no security arrangements were provided at the venue.
He shared a video showing a man at the alleged venue asking applicants to leave and closing the premises.
“You guys are done for today. I can’t take it. Even the embassy, this is unorganised. No security, no staff,” the man said in the video.
Some applicants also alleged that they were confronted with an additional £70 to £150 charge, separate from payments already made during the passport application process.
One X user, Jacy, wrote, “I was in Manchester today at 11am. I had to go home! To get our passport renewed, we have to pay £70, excluding what we had already paid previously.”
Another applicant claimed that some Nigerians travelled long distances and took time off work only to be turned away.
“People left home as early as 5am, took time off work and travelled long distances, only to be told they couldn’t be attended to because they hadn’t paid the newly introduced £70 fee,” the applicant said.
“This is the bullshit we are being charged an extra £70 for after the initial passport renewal charges? Sigh,” another Nigerian, Seun Ore, wrote.
However, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, denied that the Federal Government had introduced any additional charges for the passport intervention.
In a statement shared on social media, Tunji-Ojo said applicants were only required to pay the official passport application fees.
“This process does not come with extra costs other than the official fees of $150 and $230 for five-year and ten-year validity passports, respectively, exclusive of bank charges.
“Neither the Ministry of Interior nor the Nigeria Immigration Service has introduced any other charges outside the aforementioned,” he said.
The minister added that the Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was working to ensure that the inconveniences reported during the exercise were addressed.
“This government has demonstrated a high level of responsibility to Nigerians at home and abroad, and remains committed to its promises of providing succour to all,” the statement noted.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Immigration Service had yet to issue an official response to the complaints over delays, alleged poor organisation, venue arrangements and claims of additional charges.
The controversy comes as the NIS continues its special intervention aimed at reducing the passport backlog and improving access to passport services for Nigerians resident in the UK.
