By Henry Ihimekpen
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has enrolled 8,552 Nigerians in the diaspora under targeted passport intervention exercises conducted in the United States, Canada, Qatar and the United Kingdom.
The Service said the exercises were undertaken in line with its commitment to improving passport service delivery to Nigerians abroad and under the directive of the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
According to the Service, the intervention was designed to bring passport services closer to Nigerians in various cities and was conducted in collaboration with Nigerian diplomatic missions and representatives of Nigerian communities to ensure a coordinated and responsive service delivery process.
In a statement on Monday by its spokesman, Akinsola Akinlabi, the NIS disclosed that in the United States, the exercise held between September 7 and 15, 2026 across Chicago, Michigan and Milwaukee, where 535 applicants were enrolled.
In Canada, the exercise which ran from September 6 to 19, 2026 across Manitoba, Toronto, Saskatoon, Alberta and New Brunswick enrolled 2,257 Nigerians.
The exercise in Qatar, which held from August 9 to 24, 2026, enrolled 751 applicants.
The exercise in the United Kingdom covering London and Manchester, which has enrolled 5,099 applicants, is still ongoing, the Service said, adding that passport production and dispatch are being carried out concurrently with the enrolment in the UK.
The Nigeria Immigration Service advised applicants who were unable to secure appointment slots during the exercises, as well as those who may prefer not to physically visit the centres or the High Commission, to utilise the Contactless Passport Application System for their applications.
The Service reiterated its commitment to responsive and accessible passport services for Nigerians in the diaspora and to ensuring timely, efficient and convenient service delivery.
