BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR—The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called for the urgent reversal of new passport fees announced by the Federal government through the Nigeria Immigration Service.
According to statement released today by SERAP, Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, described the new fee as arbitrary, unlawful, and discriminatory against poor Nigerians.
The statement added that “Millions of disadvantaged Nigerians cannot realistically afford to pay the increased fees,
“These Nigerians should not be forced to spend their limited and grossly inadequate income to pay the increased fees instead of spending it on their basic living needs.
“The Minister of Interior and the Comptroller General of the NIS acted unlawfully when they arbitrarily increased the passport fees.
“The unreasonable and disproportionate increase in passport fees is incompatible with the provisions of chapters 2 and 4 of the Nigerian Constitution covering fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy and fundamental rights.”
“Nigerians who cannot afford to pay the excessive fees would be denied the effective enjoyment of their citizenship rights conferred by the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and human rights treaties to which the country is a state party.”
“It further cautioned that the unlawful increase in passport fees at a time the country is facing economic and financial crises would contribute further to the impoverishment of the population.”
The Immigration Service, had on Friday last week announced that from September 1, 2025, applications made within Nigeria will attract new fees of N100,000 for the 32-page, five-year validity passport and N200,000 for the 64-page, 10-year validity passport.
“The review which only affect Passport Application fees made in Nigeria, now set a new fee thresholds for 32-page with five-year validity at N100,000 and 64-page with 10-year validity at N200,000,” the statement read.
The NIS, however, said Nigerians in the diaspora will continue to pay $150 for the 32-page, five-year passport and $230 for the 64-page, 10-year passport.
