Michael Olugbode in Abuja
In a major effort to alleviate long-standing delays and streamline consular services for citizens living abroad, the federal government has deployed a special Passport Intervention Team to four major regions across the United Kingdom.
The initiative, directed by Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, followed strategic consultations between Nigeria Immigration Service, High Commission of Nigeria, and local UK diaspora representatives.
The mobile team aims to make passport acquisition and renewal significantly easier for thousands of resident Nigerians, bringing official processing operations directly to regional hubs.
Under the scheduled arrangement, operations will kick off simultaneously in London and Manchester, running from September 7 to September 19.
London applicants will be served at Layali Lounge along Bramley Road, while those in Manchester can access services at Nigerian House on Platt Lane.
The intervention will then shift to Scotland and Wales from September 21 to September 26, with venues established at the Hilton Convention Centre on Smithfield Road in Aberdeen and Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.
Officials emphasised that while the physical venues will handle biometric capture and application resolutions, all prospective applicants must first complete their registrations and financial transactions online through the official portal at passport.immigration.gov.ng.
The service confirmed that no physical cash payments or unregistered walk-ins will be permitted at any of the intervention centres.
The UK outreach comes as part of a broader reform strategy by the Ministry of Interior aimed at modernising passport issuance, reducing processing backlogs, and ending the frustration often faced by Nigerians in the diaspora when attempting to renew critical travel documents.