The Federal Government has said that 650, 000 international passport booklets were produced in 2022.
This is 100,000 fewer than 750, 000 applications within the year.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who said this on Thursday at an event to mark the 30th anniversary of Philip Consulting Limited in Lagos, noted that between June 2021 and June 2022, the Nigerian Immigration Service produced 1.9m passports.
Aregbesola, who was represented at the event by one of his special advisers, Ademola Adeyinka, said that between 2021 and 2022 there had been a 30 per cent growth rate in passport application.
“This year alone, 625,000 booklets have been produced out of the 750, 000 applications received. A total of 1.3m passports were produced last year. The NIS has also produced 1.9 million passports between June 2021 And June 2022.”
He also said that in three years, the Federal Government had processed and granted 1,219 business permits.
“Both education and labour have suddenly increased the demand for passports. Between 2021 till date, I think we have seen a spike of about 30 per cent growth rate in passport applications.
“From 2019 till date, the Ministry has processed and granted 1,219 business permits, 2706 expatriate quotas, and renewed 7424 expatriate quotas.”
According to him, “With the recent increase in rates, only the affluent can afford to fly. Interestingly, Nigeria has an impressive collection of private jets that do not reflect the challenges of the masses to assess air travel but rather, a huge trial disparity between the rich and the poor in the country.”
