The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) announced on 23 October that it has enrolled 14,312 Nigerians under its Special Passport Intervention Exercise running across four UK cities. Temporary “surge centres” in London, Manchester, Aberdeen and Cardiff were opened after chronic backlogs at the Nigerian High Commission left many dual nationals unable to travel. The pop-up operation, which began in early September and is now extended until 30 October, allows applicants to complete biometrics, pay fees (£134 for a five-year and £200 for a 10-year booklet) and receive their passports by courier within days. Daily throughput has stabilised at about 400 cases, with Manchester handling the largest volume. For British companies that deploy staff to Nigeria or employ Nigerian nationals, the drive reduces the risk of assignment delays caused by expired passports—a problem that spiked after COVID-era printing shortages. The NIS says similar interventions in the US, Canada and Qatar have processed a further 3,500 passports, hinting at a permanent global-mobility strategy. The initiative also tests an online appointment and payment platform that Nigeria plans to adopt worldwide in 2027. Feedback from UK applicants will shape a move to “contactless” passport services, mirroring the UK’s own digital-status agenda. In the short term, employers should remind Nigerian staff that physical attendance is still required and slots are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Source: Morganable
