The Nigeria High Commission in the United Kingdom has announced plans to refund £50 to passport applicants who paid a £70 administrative fee during the ongoing passport intervention exercise.
The refund effectively reduces the administrative charge to £20, following public criticism and scrutiny over the initial £70 fee.
The commission announced the decision in a notice published on its website on Friday, September 11. A £20 administrative fee had previously been introduced under the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari for a similar passport intervention exercise.
According to reports, the High Commission later introduced the £70 charge without approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while applicants seeking replacement of lost passports were reportedly required to pay £150. Officials involved in the exercise told TheCable that the additional fee was introduced to facilitate the process and “generate revenue.”
The development followed complaints from Nigerians in the UK over difficulties associated with the passport intervention exercise.
Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo had expressed concern over the situation and clarified that applicants were not required to pay separate administrative fees for the exercise.
In a statement issued on Friday, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) spokesperson Akinsola Akinlabi said the applicable passport fees remained $162 for a five-year validity passport and $242 for a 10-year validity passport.
Akinlabi said the intervention exercise was progressing smoothly at the London and Manchester centres despite challenges recorded on its first day. He urged eligible Nigerians to book appointments through the Nigeria High Commission’s website, stressing that “no additional charges are required to participate in the intervention exercise.”
According to him, 1,477 Nigerians were successfully processed and enrolled within the first four days of the exercise, with more than half already having their passports produced and dispatched to their respective addresses.
Following the high turnout and strong demand, Tunji-Ojo approved an extension of the intervention exercise in London and Manchester from September 19 to October 3.
Akinlabi said further details on the extended dates, participating locations and appointment procedures would be communicated through the official channels of the NIS and the Nigeria High Commission.
