The Nigeria Immigration Service has rolled out an upgraded passport tracking feature aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the passport application process across the country and in foreign missions.
The service said the new feature would allow applicants to better monitor the status of their passports, particularly at the production stage, while also helping to reduce sharp practices associated with passport processing.
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs Kemi Nanna Nandap, had earlier warned officers and men of the service against acts of corruption and other unprofessional conduct, stressing that ongoing reforms must be fully implemented to restore public confidence.
She gave the warning at a recent anti-corruption conference held at the service’s headquarters in Abuja, where she said no effort would be spared to ensure that newly deployed technologies and equipment across passport offices function effectively.
According to the service, the enhanced tracking feature was introduced amid rising complaints from applicants over delays in passport issuance and collection, especially after passports had already been produced.
A statement posted on the service’s official social media platform noted that many completed passports were left uncollected, a situation that had contributed to confusion and public dissatisfaction.
With the update, the existing passport tracker now includes a new status indicating “Produced (Passport Produced, Ready for Collection),” enabling applicants to clearly know when their documents are available for pickup or delivery through courier services.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that the initiative is part of broader reforms designed to eliminate deliberate bottlenecks in the system and reduce uncertainty surrounding passport processing timelines.
Officials of the service said the improved tracker would help applicants differentiate between genuine production delays and passports that are ready but yet to be collected, thereby easing pressure on passport offices nationwide.
