Group slams FG over passport fee hike, calls it unlawful

Nigerian passports

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged the Federal Government to urgently reverse the new passport fees announced by the Nigeria Immigration Service, describing the increase as arbitrary, unlawful, and discriminatory against poor Nigerians.

Recall NIS had disclosed that, effective September 1, 2025, applications within Nigeria would cost N100,000 for the 32-page, five-year validity passport and N200,000 for the 64-page, 10-year validity passport.

The hike comes less than a year after a similar upward review in September 2024.

However, in a letter obtained by PUNCH Online on Sunday, dated August 30, 2025, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said the decision would amount to a denial of access to passports for millions of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians,

“Millions of disadvantaged Nigerians cannot realistically afford to pay the increased fees.

“These Nigerians should not be forced to spend their limited and grossly inadequate income to pay the increased fees instead of spending it on their basic living needs,” the group said. Punch