Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has revealed that the Federal Government is making preparations to launch a home delivery service for passports.

Aregbesola emphasized that the government aims to ensure that individuals who desire to obtain a passport can do so in a reasonable amount of time and at an affordable price, without any hassles.

The minister made this announcement during the inauguration of the Nigeria Immigration Service Passport Front Desk Office in Auchi, Edo State.

In a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Sola Fasure, Aregbesola promised that negotiations with the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) were near conclusion, intending to utilize their speedy mail service to deliver passports to Nigerians.

Aregbesola stressed the importance of providing passports to Nigerians, especially those living abroad, for identification purposes and as proof of their existence.

He acknowledged that the inability to produce a passport when required could have adverse consequences.

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Therefore, the government’s goal is to ensure the availability of passports in a timely manner, at an affordable cost, and with minimal stress for applicants.

The minister also acknowledged that Edo State has one of the highest numbers of passport applications in Nigeria. He mentioned that the recent surge in demand might cause an increase in the waiting period between application and collection.

Aregbesola noted that the current processing time is reasonable, with six weeks for fresh applications and three weeks for renewals after biometric registration.

However, he acknowledged the challenge lies in the waiting period at the application and data registration stage, as some centers experience high demand resulting in longer waiting times.

Aregbesola urged applicants to plan ahead for their travel needs, emphasizing that travel arrangements require long-term planning for education, work, leisure, or migration, except in cases of urgent national assignments or medical emergencies.

The Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Isah Jere Idris, also mentioned that the choice of Auchi for the passport front desk office was appropriate, given that Edo State ranks fifth among states with the highest volume of passport applications in the country.

He expressed confidence that the new office would help alleviate the congestion and improve passport processing efficiency in Edo State and neighboring areas.