FG to launch contactless passport service in 2025

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced that the federal government will launch a contactless passport application service in four states starting January 2025.

Speaking on The Morning Show, an Arise Television program, on Wednesday, Tunji-Ojo revealed that the experimental phase of the service would begin in Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, and Kano.

The contactless system, which allows Nigerians to apply for passports without physical contact, will initially be rolled out internationally in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, and France, following a successful launch in Canada.

“We decided to start with Canada. And as I speak to you, we’re already producing passports based on the contactless system in Canada,” Tunji-Ojo explained.

“By January, we’re taking it to four countries, which include the UK, United States, Italy, and France. And of course, in Nigeria, we’re opening it up in Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, and Kano.”

The minister highlighted that a phased rollout was essential for refining the system and ensuring its reliability.

“I come from a tech management consulting background, and in my experience, you don’t launch a project of that magnitude all over at the same time,”

“There will be what we call the system shock. And once there’s a system shock, it erodes the benefit that you aim to derive,” he said.

Tunji-Ojo acknowledged initial technical challenges in Canada but assured that the issues had been addressed through “patching” and ongoing system improvements. He emphasized that the cautious approach would ensure the system’s success, describing it as “a legacy for this particular administration.”

“This is why we have adopted a cautious approach towards the project,” he said. “Otherwise, people will jump on it, and at the end of the day, the frustration can even lead to the failure of the process.”