NIS denies suspending Kano passport services, says production migration is restructuring
By Aboki Forex —
The Nigeria Immigration Service has denied suspending passport services in Kano, saying a directive to migrate two passport production centres in the state to the Central Personalisation Centre does not amount to a shutdown. The clarification was issued on August 5, following criticism that the migration could disrupt passport processing in Kano and other affected locations.
What NIS said
In its response, the NIS said the migration of additional passport branches to the Central Personalisation Centre is a strategic administrative enhancement, not a suspension of services. The agency stressed that applicants can still complete passport enrolment and biometric capture at their local passport centres.
“Applicants can still visit their local centers to complete biometric data capture seamlessly. This centralized production framework is designed to align with global security standards, streamline processing timelines, and significantly safeguard the integrity of the Nigerian passport,” the service said.
It added that passport capture centres remain fully operational and that passport booklets will continue to be processed and returned to local commands within standard delivery timelines.
Kano backlash
The controversy followed an internal circular dated August 3, 2026, from the NIS Passport and Other Travel Document Directorate. The circular approved the migration of 10 passport branches to the Central Personalisation Centre, with effect from August 10, 2026.
Affected centres include Farm Centre Kano, Dawakin Kudu Kano, Jalingo, Gombe, Yola, Bauchi, Port Harcourt, Uyo, Calabar, and Yenagoa. The circular said passport booklets for the affected centres would henceforth be dispatched from the Central Personalisation Centre, while produced passports would be delivered directly to the centres.
The directive drew criticism, particularly in Kano. Former presidential aide to late Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, urged the NIS to reconsider, arguing that Kano’s population and economic importance justify stronger immigration infrastructure.
“Kano is Nigeria’s most populous state and serves as the commercial and economic hub of Northern Nigeria. Given our strategic importance, the state deserves adequate immigration services that reflect its population size and significance,” Bashir Ahmad wrote on X.
Another X user, Ahmad Loriman, also criticised the move, describing Kano as a major commercial hub in Northern Nigeria and calling on federal lawmakers from the state to intervene and ensure the passport production centres are restored.
What the restructuring means
The NIS maintained that the restructuring affects passport production logistics, not enrolment or biometric capture, and that local passport centres will continue to operate normally.
The move is part of broader modernisation efforts. In February 2025, the NIS introduced a contactless passport application system allowing eligible citizens to apply, submit biometric information, and pay online with minimal physical interaction.
The service also launched an online platform for the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card, and from August 2025 all CERPAC applications moved exclusively online, ending physical forms. The centralisation of passport production is the latest step in that digitisation drive, which the NIS says is aimed at improving security, efficiency, and the integrity of Nigeria’s passport system.
For Nigerians, the practical effect is that passport enrolment and biometric capture stay at local centres, while production shifts to a central point. The test will be whether delivery timelines hold as the August 10 directive takes effect.