The 2023 Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi has reacted to the proposed increase in cost of Nigerian Passport.
On Thursday, the Federal Government through the Nigeria Immigration Service has set a new fee thresholds for National Passport 32-page with 5-year validity at N100,000 and 64-page with 10-year validity at N200,000.
In a statement released by the Service revealed that this in a bid to uphold the quality and integrity of the Passport with upward review of its Stardard fees, while the new fee take effect on 1st September, 2025.
It disclosed further that the review only affect Passport Application fees made in Nigeria, saying that of the Nigerians in diaspora remain unchanged at $150 for 32-page with 5-year validity and $230 for 64-page with 10-year validity.
While reacting to this development on X, Peter Obi said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration burden on the populace is becoming legendary and continues to reveal apparent disconnect with the people and the suffering.
According to him, “The International Passport fees in Nigeria have now skyrocketed to ₦100,000 for a 32-page booklet and ₦200,000 for 64 pages. This is the third increase in just two years.
Adding that, “In a country where the new minimum wage is only ₦70,000, the cost of a single passport now exceeds a worker’s monthly salary, probably the only country in the world to achieve this feat.
“Instead of making life easier, this government keeps shifting the burden onto ordinary Nigerians. It is alarming that the price of the international passport is higher than what workers earn in a month”, the former Governor concluded.
