By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigerians in the United Kingdom have expressed outrage over delays and alleged poor coordination during the Federal Government’s special passport intervention exercise, with applicants taking to social media to document their frustrations.
The intervention, which began on Monday in London and Manchester, was introduced to clear backlogs involving fresh passport applications, renewals and pending cases among Nigerians in the UK.
But instead of the smooth process many applicants expected, social media posts showed Nigerians waiting for hours at intervention centres, with some complaining that they had travelled long distances and taken time off work for appointments.
At one Manchester centre, applicants reportedly gathered outside the facility, with complaints that people who arrived as early as 9am were still waiting several hours later without being attended to.
The situation triggered a wave of complaints on X, with applicants questioning why they were being subjected to further delays despite having completed the required applications and payments.
The complaints also extended to alleged demands for an additional £70 administrative fee from some applicants.
The allegation prompted a response from the Federal Government, with the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, insisting that applicants were not required to pay any additional charge beyond the approved passport fees.
The official fees are $150 for a five-year passport and $230 for a 10-year passport, excluding bank charges.
The Nigeria Immigration Service, meanwhile, attributed the disruption at the Manchester centre to a brief technical downtime that temporarily affected biometric capturing.
The Service said the problem was resolved and the exercise subsequently proceeded, with 230 applicants reportedly processed on the first day across Manchester and London.
The intervention was scheduled to run in London and Manchester before moving to Cardiff and Aberdeen later in September.
The Nigeria High Commission in London lists Manchester and London for September 7–21, followed by Cardiff and Aberdeen from September 21–26.
The latest complaints come as the NIS separately appeals to Nigerians in the UK whose contactless passport applications remain undelivered to submit their details for resolution.
