The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Federal Government to urgently reverse the recently announced increase in passport fees by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
In a statement issued on Sunday, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, described the hike as arbitrary, unlawful, and discriminatory against poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
“The decision amounts to a denial of access to passports for millions of socially and economically disadvantaged Nigerians,” the statement read. “Millions of Nigerians cannot realistically afford to pay the increased fees.”
SERAP argued that the fee hike forces poor citizens to divert already limited incomes from essential needs such as food and shelter toward obtaining travel documents.
“The Minister of Interior and the Comptroller General of the NIS acted unlawfully by arbitrarily increasing passport fees without due consideration of the economic realities faced by most Nigerians,” the group said.
According to SERAP, the decision violates Chapters 2 and 4 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which outline the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy, as well as fundamental rights.
The organization warned that the increase would effectively deny many Nigerians their constitutional rights to citizenship, as well as their rights under international human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory.
“It is unreasonable and disproportionate, especially at a time when the country is facing severe economic hardship. The move will only worsen the level of poverty and social exclusion,” SERAP added.
The Nigeria Immigration Service had earlier announced that, effective September 1, 2025, passport applications within Nigeria will cost ₦100,000 for a 32-page passport with five-year validity, and ₦200,000 for a 64-page passport with ten-year validity.
This development follows a previous fee increase in September 2024, sparking widespread criticism over affordability and accessibility.
