Nigeria Sends Passport Intervention Team to UK to Ease Diaspora Backlog

By Temitope Adebiyi, Correspondent

The Federal Government has deployed a dedicated Passport Intervention Team from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters to the United Kingdom to process pending, new, and renewal passport applications for the diaspora.

Ordered by Minister of Interior Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, this move aims to stop the long delays and backlogs that frustrate applicants in the UK..

—Team Arrives August 10—

According to the NIS, the Comptroller General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, was directed to deploy the special team which arrived in the UK on August 10, 2026.

The team will work directly with the Nigeria High Commission in London to fast-track processing and issuance of passports.

“As part of the exercise, the intervention team will visit designated cities across the United Kingdom to conduct passport enrolment and processing, thereby enabling eligible applicants in different parts of the country to access the exercise,” the Service stated.

The NIS said the intervention is open to:

A. Applicants with pending applications

B. New applicants

C. Holders with less than 1 year left before expiry seeking renewal

Applicants are required to present their completed application forms and proof of payment during enrolment.

The detailed schedule showing designated cities, dates, venues and enrolment times will be announced separately.

The Service urged applicants not to visit any location until the official schedule is released via the High Commission’s communication channels.

—Support Channels and Digital Options Remain Open—

For enquiries or complaints, the NIS provided:
– Email: passport.london@immigration.gov.ng
– WhatsApp-only line: +234 916 087 8000

The Service also confirmed that all digital channels, including the Contactless Passport Application System and the home delivery service, will remain fully operational during the intervention.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains committed to efficient, transparent and responsive passport service delivery to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora,” the statement added.

The intervention comes amid sustained complaints from UK-based Nigerians over months-long delays in passport processing, a challenge the Interior Ministry says it is prioritizing ahead of the 2027 elections when diaspora engagement is expected to peak.