NIS Breaks Silence Over South’East Passport Ban

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has debunked an online report claiming the South East geopolitical zone has been disqualified from passport issuance.

In a Saturday statement signed by the Service Public Relations Officer, DCI Akinsola Akinlabi, NIS described the report as false and baseless.

The statement reads, “The attention of the Nigeria Immigration Service has been drawn to a baseless online report claiming that a specific region of the country has been disqualified from passport issuance.

“NIS categorically states that this report is entirely false and a gross misrepresentation of the ongoing government reforms to modernise passport administration.”

The service clarified that it has introduced a phased onboarding system to migrate passport offices, including those in foreign missions, to a centralised production framework.

It said this modernisation effort, which began in 2024, is designed to enhance the efficiency, integrity, and the security of Nigeria’s passport production system, and not to exclude any citizen.

The statement further reads, “The Service has successfully onboarded passport offices in the North East and North Central states of Borno, Yobe, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau, along with 35 international stations spread across Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.

“Furthermore, scheduled migration for the five South East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo, and five additional international stations (Italy, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, and Austria) is currently ongoing within the first quarter of 2026.

“Consequently, the service has established a strict work-plan calendar to ensure this transition is seamless and does not disrupt delivery timelines as the goal is to drive the process towards greater efficiency.”

The NIS urged the public to disregard speculative narratives capable of creating unnecessary tension, saying the service continues to implement reforms in the overall national interest.

“Nigeria Immigration Service remains committed to equitable service delivery and operational excellence,” it stated.