*Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Minister for Interior,  at the inauguration of the new passport office in Alimosho area of Lagos State, explains the measure is part of a move to address the ‘shortage gap’ in passport processing in the country

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

In a move to address the identified production, processing and supply shortage in the international travel document, the Federal Government has opened a new passport office in the Alimosho area of Lagos State.

ConsumerConnect gathered Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Honourable Minister for Interior, at the launching of the new facility Monday, Jnuary 299, 2023, said that the step is part of an effort at addressing the “shortage gap” in passport processing in Nigeria.

The Minister stated via his verified Twitter account that “I commissioned a new Passport Front Office of the @nigimmigration in Alimosho, Lagos State. Lagos needs at least 15 front offices to ease the pressure in Ikoyi, Festac, and Alausa.

“Earlier, I had commissioned the Lagos Command HQ of the Service at Alagbon Close, Ikoyi Lagos.”

Aregbesola also said: “We are committed to expanding our Passport Issuance operations to bridge the shortage gap we face usually in urban centres like Lagos.

“It is this need that gave birth to the Alimosho Front Office to ease the ever-increasing pressure on the three existing Passport Offices.

“Applications have been increasing every year at an unprecedented rate, due to the tendency of many Nigerians wanting to travel outside the country & those who want to use it as means of identification.”

He further noted: “Then, there is ‘panic buying’ effect from those who wanted to obtain the passport

because they heard some people (who probably went through touts) had difficulty obtaining theirs. But we have increased our capacity.

“Last year (2022), we produced 1.9 million passports, against the 1 million produced in 2021. This is about an 80% increase and it is unprecedented.”

The former Osun State governor also commissioned the Lagos Command HQ of the Service in Ikoyi.”

He added: “Since my appointment as Minister, we have commissioned 17 new Command structures across the country for the NIS, with the Lagos Command being the 18th.

“The resolve of President Muhammad Buhari’s Administration to ensure that our borders are further secured has led to the creation of new and upgrading of Border Control Formations to full-fledged Commands.”