Peter Obi, Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has criticised the federal government over the recent increase in international passport fees
Gatekeepers News reports that Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recently raised the cost of a 32-page passport booklet to N100,000, while the 64-page option now goes for N200,000.
Reacting in a statement via his X handle, the former Anambra Governor expressed displeasure with the policy, Obi describing it as an additional burden on the populace who are already grappling with harsh economic realities.
He wrote, “The obsession of this administration with putting a burden on the populace is becoming legendary and continues to reveal its apparent disconnect with the people and the suffering.”
The politician noted that the adjustment was not only unjustified but also insensitive, given the financial struggles of ordinary Nigerians.
He lamented, “The International Passport fees in Nigeria have now skyrocketed to N100,000 for a 32-page booklet and N200,000 for 64 pages. This is the third increase in just two years.”
Highlighting the imbalance between wages and the new fees, Obi stated, “In a country where the new minimum wage is only N70,000, the cost of a single passport now exceeds a worker’s monthly salary, probably the only country in the world to achieve this feat.”
“Instead of making life easier, this government keeps shifting the burden onto ordinary Nigerians. It is alarming that the price of the international passport is higher than what workers earn in a month.”
The latest increase comes less than a year after a similar adjustment in August 2024, when the price of a 32-page, five-year passport booklet rose from ₦35,000 to ₦50,000, and the 64-page, 10-year booklet went up from N70,000 to N100,000.
