It is the tenth worst travel document globally, ranked 191 out of 199 countries, according to VisaGuide’s World Passport Index.
Some Nigerian applicants have accused officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service of extorting them at the Abuja passport office
He said while the procurement of visas was a privilege, acquisition of a passport was the right of every Nigerian.
While these are symptoms of larger dislocations in the Nigerian system, the greed of some of these NIS officials, who take delight in sabotaging the system for selfish gains, should be curbed.
The Nigerian passport has remained one of the least world’s most powerful passports, ranking fifth-worst in Africa, the Henley Passport Index shows.
NIS has blamed the scarcity of passport booklets on President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s policy on forex.
Countries among the 20 worst-performing passports are Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, and Syria.
The failure of relevant agencies to demand and verify TCC presented by an individual could amount to sanctions (a fine of N5 million or three years’ imprisonment or both).
The envoy said shortage of passport booklets was no longer a problem and applicants would be able to get their passports by December to travel home for Christmas.
Nigeria has opened a new office in Cairo, Egypt, to provide visa application, passport, BVN and NIN services.
