Nigeria has been mired in inflation for the past two years. Basically, Nigerians are struggling to survive in a sea of high inflation caused by recent government policies. And just when the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics was talking about stabilizing the economy, another federal agency added to the fiscal pressure. Yes, the price of Nigerian passports has increased significantly, placing an additional burden on citizens facing difficult economic conditions.
On August 28, 2025, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) unveiled a series of economic burdens on its citizens. From Monday, September 1, 2025, the cost to obtain a 32-page passport (valid for 5 years) will jump from ₦50,000 to ₦100,000, and a 64-page passport (valid for 10 years) will jump from ₦100,000 to ₦200,000, an overall price increase of a whopping 100%. Diaspora applicants will be spared this increase and their fees will remain at USD 150 and USD 230, respectively.
This move is particularly insensitive because it marks the second significant increase in a year. Already in September 2024, passport fees were increased, from £35,000 to £50,000 for a 32-page passport, and from £70,000 to £100,000 for a 64-page passport, causing widespread public discontent. Despite government assurances that fee increases are necessary to maintain the quality and integrity of documents, the nearly doubling of fees in less than 12 months raises serious questions.
Why would the government raise passport fees again so soon after last raising them? In less than a year, fees have increased by almost 2 What are the specific factors that justify the doubling? What does it mean in practice to “maintain the quality and integrity” of passports? How does a fee increase directly contribute to this? What impact will the new fees have on the general public, especially those on low incomes? How will this increase fit in with the government’s broader economic policy, especially as the population grapples with high inflation?
For millions of Nigerians, this surge comes against a backdrop of persistent economic hardship, soaring inflation, high unemployment, declining purchasing power and cost of living pressures. Travel, already a privilege, becomes prohibitively expensive. Currently costing £200,000, 10-year passports are probably out of reach for people on low and middle incomes, effectively creating new barriers to movement for work, education, healthcare or to reunite with loved ones overseas.
NIS has defended its decision, citing needs to improve production quality, protect passport integrity and enhance service delivery, and similar arguments were made during the 2024 hike. However, the people have already endured last year’s massive tax increase, and suddenly doubling it again within a few months suggests fiscal recklessness. Without transparency into actual costs and targeted improvements, these justifications ring hollow.
It is noteworthy, and perhaps unfair, that diaspora fees remain a fixed dollar amount while internal applicants face significant increases. The government defends this on the grounds of exchange rate stability, citing the cost of production in dollars, but that argument only highlights the suffering of Nigerians at home grappling with currency devaluation. It also draws attention to structural inequalities between people abroad and at home.
The timing of the latest increase, almost exactly one year since the last increase, suggests a pattern of frequent and high surcharges rather than long-term financial planning or incremental scaling. This approach undermines public trust. People deserve predictable and transparent policymaking, not shocking increases that further undermine trust in public institutions.
Such rapid cost increases are unacceptable. In my view, there are four things that the NIS should do urgently to assure Nigerians that its purpose is not strictly to “get” them.
First, you need to provide a transparent cost breakdown. NIS should publish a clear explanation of why fees need to be increased and how the additional revenue will be used to improve printing technology, train staff, expand offices, etc.
Second, this type of price adjustment must be gradual. The case here is that rather than significantly increasing fees, governments should pursue gradual adjustments in line with inflation and real cost growth.
Additionally, services should introduce means-based considerations. Concessions and installment payment options should be offered to civil servants, students and low-income applicants to avoid disadvantaging the most vulnerable.
Finally, increases must lead to real service improvements. NIS is responsible for ensuring that revenue increases translate into measurable improvements. This is in terms of faster processing, functional regional centers, and expanded access to include rural areas.
My contention is that the decision by the Nigerian Immigration Service to double passport fees again within a year reflects a tone-deaf disregard for the economic realities faced by Nigerians today. Without transparency and clear citizen-centered outcomes, this movement risks deepening mistrust and entrenching inequalities. If passports, a tool for personal advancement and global mobility, become prohibitively expensive, what message does that send about who truly belongs in the conversation about opportunities in Africa?
Let this be a call for accountability, compassion, and reform, not more economic burden disguised as progress.
Elvis Eromosele, corporate communications expert and sustainability advocate, wrote via (email protected).
