Nigeria: Govt Sends Passport Intervention Team to UK to Clear Pending Applications

What the report says

The Nigerian government has sent a Passport Intervention Team from the Nigeria Immigration Service headquarters to the United Kingdom to help clear pending passport applications and improve service for Nigerians living abroad, according to Vanguard via AllAfrica. The move was ordered by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, through the Comptroller General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap.

The service said the team was due to arrive in the UK on 10 August 2026 and would work with the Nigerian High Commission to process pending, new and renewal passport requests. It also plans to visit designated UK cities to carry out enrolment and processing, allowing applicants in different locations to take part. The intervention covers people with unresolved applications, first-time applicants, and passport holders with less than a year left before expiry.

Applicants are expected to bring completed forms and proof of payment. The Nigeria Immigration Service said the city-by-city schedule, including venues and times, would be released separately and warned people not to attend until official notices are issued. It also said regular digital passport channels, including the Contactless Passport Application System and home delivery service, will continue during the exercise.

The initiative matters because passport delays have been a recurring concern for Nigerians at home and in the diaspora. The reported step suggests an attempt to reduce backlogs and make processing more accessible for overseas applicants, although the article does not say how many cases are awaiting action.