Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to immediately withdraw and deactivate passports belonging to individuals who have officially renounced their Nigerian citizenship.
Newsonspot gathered that the directive, announced through his Special Adviser on Media, Alao Babatunde, applies strictly to persons whose renunciation has been formally approved by the President, in line with constitutional provisions.
Upholding Constitutional Integrity
According to the minister, the move is aimed at preserving the integrity and value of Nigeria’s national identity system. He emphasized that the decision is backed by Section 29(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
Under the law, any Nigerian of full age who wishes to renounce citizenship must submit a formal declaration. Once the President registers this declaration, the individual officially ceases to be a Nigerian citizen.
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Tunji-Ojo explained that losing citizenship automatically removes the legal right to possess national documents, including the Nigerian passport.
Closing Identity Gaps
This development forms part of broader reforms by the Ministry of Interior to strengthen Nigeria’s immigration and travel systems. The minister noted that the new enforcement closes an existing loophole that previously allowed former citizens to retain and use Nigerian passports.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to tightening border security, preventing identity fraud, and ensuring that only eligible individuals have access to national travel documents.
Strengthening Immigration Enforcement
The Nigeria Immigration Service has now been tasked with closely monitoring approved renunciations and ensuring the swift deactivation of affected passports.
This step is expected to prevent misuse of Nigeria’s green passport and reinforce the country’s efforts to maintain a credible and secure identity management system.
