Nigerians residing in the United Kingdom have commended the Federal Government’s passport reform initiative, saying the introduction of the contactless renewal system has significantly reduced delays and eliminated the stress associated with obtaining travel documents abroad.
The system, introduced in November 2024, enables eligible Nigerians to renew expired or exhausted passports remotely without physically visiting passport offices.
According to a report by the Ministry of Interior containing testimonies from Nigerians across the UK, the reform has transformed what many described as a previously cumbersome process marked by prolonged waiting periods, extensive travel and bureaucratic hurdles.
A Nigerian community leader based in Birmingham, Timileyin Gbenga, said the difference between the old and new systems was remarkable.
He recalled that obtaining his passport through the conventional process took over six months and required travelling from Birmingham to London for biometric capture.
However, he said a family member who recently used the contactless option received a renewed passport in less than two weeks.
Gbenga attributed the improvement to reforms spearheaded by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
“That is the kind of change Nigerians have been yearning for. We need to appreciate initiatives that bring meaningful reforms,” he said.
Similarly, a Coventry-based Nigerian, Gbenga Ogunderu, described the development as evidence of the country’s embrace of digital transformation.
According to him, the process had shifted from what he termed “analogue backwardness” to a more efficient system that allows applicants to complete the process from the comfort of their homes and receive their passports at their doorsteps.
He said his passport was delivered within two weeks, adding that the innovation placed Nigeria on a path comparable with technologically advanced countries.
Also speaking, a senior lecturer in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics at Coventry University and president of the Nigerian community in Coventry, Dr Adekunle Shonola, said the reform represented a major improvement in service delivery.
Shonola noted that while Nigerians previously travelled from Coventry to London multiple times and waited for over six months, some members of the community now receive their passports within one week.
The academic, who holds dual Nigerian and British citizenship, said the ease with which British passports are processed digitally was now being replicated in Nigeria’s passport system.
He, however, called for a seamless rollout of the initiative across Nigeria, stressing the need for improved network infrastructure and integration of relevant databases.
An automation engineer with Royal Mail and member of the Nigerian community in Coventry, Rufus Idowu, disclosed that some applicants had received their passports within five days without leaving their homes.
He urged the government to sustain the reforms, noting that consistency would be key to achieving lasting progress.
Another UK-based Nigerian, Ahmed Oyelade, said feedback from relatives, colleagues and friends indicated that the process had become more efficient.
According to him, applicants can now process renewals from their homes and receive their passports within two to three weeks, a development he said had restored confidence in the country’s institutions.
