By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has clarified that Nigerians in the United Kingdom participating in the ongoing special passport intervention exercise are not required to pay any additional charges beyond the approved passport fees.
The clarification followed concerns over inconveniences experienced by some Nigerians during the application and processing of their international passports under the intervention exercise.
In a statement signed by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde, on Monday, the ministry said the intervention was introduced to provide additional options for Nigerians in the UK to process their passport applications.
It stated that the approved fees remain $150 for a five-year passport and $230 for a 10-year passport, exclusive of bank charges.
“Neither the Ministry of Interior nor the Nigeria Immigration Service has introduced any other charges outside the aforementioned,” the statement said.
The ministry, however, disclosed that consultations were ongoing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address the difficulties being experienced by applicants and ensure that the challenges did not persist.
It reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerians at home and abroad, saying efforts remained focused on providing relief and improving access to government services.
The ministry also advised applicants to take advantage of the contactless biometric passport application system, which it described as a seamless option for passport processing.
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