Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced plans to open Nigerian passport front offices in major UK cities, including Manchester, Birmingham, and Cardiff, within the next three months. This initiative aims to address the challenges faced by Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly in passport renewal.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the minister acknowledged the difficulties faced by Nigerians in the UK, particularly in London and New York, due to the concentration of the Nigerian population. Focusing on the UK, he emphasized the need to establish passport front offices in key cities by February 2024.
Tunji-Ojo stated, “There is no quick fix. But we have ensured Nigerians that by February next year, we would have opened our front offices such that we’ll have front offices in Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff in Wales, and Scotland.”
He highlighted the existing challenge stemming from having only one passport office in the entire United Kingdom. Nigerians residing in distant cities such as Edinburgh (Scotland), Cardiff, Belfast (Northern Ireland), Manchester, or Birmingham currently need to travel to London for passport services.
The minister emphasized the necessity of investigating the capacity of the immigration office and understanding the demand for passports. With hundreds of thousands of Nigerians resident in the UK, the establishment of front offices in various cities is expected to reduce stress, waiting periods, and enhance efficiency in the passport procurement system.l.
