Amanze Chinonye
Nigerians living abroad are reporting growing frustrations with passport services, raising questions about the operational efficiency of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at its foreign missions, Prime Business Africa reports.
Eyewitness accounts from the Nigerian embassy in Sweden indicate that many citizens traveling from Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Finland, and various parts of Sweden for passport biometrics were unable to complete the process due to what embassy officials described as “no connection from Abuja.” Travelers, many of whom had booked flights, trains, and ferries, were sent home without service or guidance, incurring significant personal costs.
A Nigerian citizen living in Sweden shared her experience:
Join our WhatsApp Channel“I went to the Nigerian embassy in Sweden to renew my passport, along with many others who had traveled from across Northern Europe for biometric capture. Unfortunately, none of us were able to complete the process because the embassy could not establish a connection with Abuja.
Regardless of whether we had appointments, we were sent home without service, and the costs of travel were entirely wasted. While the ambassador personally addressed and reassured visitors, there was no immediate solution offered.
In the past, the embassy provided same-day passport services, but since losing the authority to print passports, the process has become unreliable. Some travelers, unable to afford another trip, were forced to stay in hotels overnight. It was disheartening to see citizens turned away without any form of compensation or alternative arrangements.”
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The Stockholm embassy, historically one of Europe’s most efficient for Nigerian passport services, has seen service delivery deteriorate sharply since it lost the capacity to print passports onsite.
These challenges abroad mirror ongoing domestic inefficiencies. On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji‑Ojo, made a surprise inspection of the Gwagwalada passport office in Abuja. During the visit, Tunji‑Ojo rebuked NIS officials for delays, stating they were “wasting people’s precious time”, and called for improved service efficiency and the elimination of unofficial fees.
The convergence of these issues underscores systemic problems within the NIS network. Citizens both domestically and internationally continue to face repeated disruptions in accessing passport services, fueling concerns over accountability and operational management.
While the minister’s recent visit prompted assurances of procedural reforms, the ongoing failures at foreign missions suggest that broader structural challenges persist, affecting Nigerians at home and abroad.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
