Passport Prices Skyrocket: Nigerians Furious as Tinubu Government Raises Fees to ₦100K Amid Minimum Wage Strain
Tinubu’s Nigeria: Where Your Passport Now Costs More Than Your Salary — But Hey, Corruption is Dead, Right?”
In a country already strapped by rising costs and wage stagnation, Nigeria’s passport fees have ignited a new wave of public outrage.
As of September 1, 2025, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially raised the cost of a 32-page passport (valid for five years) to ₦100,000 and a 64-page passport (10-year validity) to ₦200,000 (for applications made within Nigeria) .
This latest hike marks the third increase in just two years, following August 2024’s raise from ₦35,000 to ₦50,000 for the 32-page version and ₦70,000 to ₦100,000 for the 64-page version .
Critics Are Scathing
Prominent opposition figure Peter Obi blasted the hike, decrying the move as “an alarming disconnect”—especially considering the new ₦70,000 minimum wage would barely cover the cost of a single passport . He underscored that the new passport cost now exceeds what many Nigerians earn monthly, calling it a terrible burden.
Wall of Defense from the Government
In response, the government justified the move by arguing that Nigerians had long paid more than ₦100K and ₦200K in bribes to fast-track passport processing. Now, the fees will go into government coffers, they claim, reducing clandestine corruption .
Minister of Interior Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo also defended the policy, asserting that the reforms—such as a centralised personalisation centre and automated processing—would eliminate long bureaucratic delays, reduce extortion, and deliver passports within one week of enrolment .
The Minister emphasized the new system had already cleared a backlog of six months’ worth of applications within just 2.5 weeks. He also shared a personal anecdote about paying “hundreds of thousands” to obtain a passport for his 12-year-old daughter in the past, framing the changes as necessary for reform .
Technology Push and Institutional Overhaul
The government is not stopping at price changes. It has modernised passport operations with contactless systems, enhanced border control, and built Nigeria’s largest passport personalization center . This includes clearance of over 200,000 backlogged applications and innovations like the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Complex (BATTIC), contactless biometric renewals for Nigerians in Europe and Canada, and e-Gates at major airports .
But the Public Is Unforgiving
Public sentiment, however, remains harsh. One Nairaland commenter sarcastically remarked:
> “You paid hundreds of thousands to secure a passport for your 12-year-old… And you still say the era of paying hundreds of thousands is over.”
Others warned that the increase makes international travel an elite privilege, out of reach for ordinary citizens .
Speaking on socioeconomic fallout, David Adonri of Highcap Securities described the policy as creating an elitist barrier to passport ownership, fostering deeper inequality . Similarly, advocacy leader Austin Aigbe questioned the justification of a near-100% price hike, pointing to inflation modestly improving and expressing concern over the government’s approach to revenue generation .
Renaissanceafrica’s CEO Ejike Nwuba castigated the move as “astronomical and unwarranted,” accusing the administration of lacking empathy and squeezing citizens financially without tangible improvement in living standards .
Meta-Analysis: Wage vs. Wallet
Let’s look at how previous administrations fared in contrast:
Goodluck Jonathan: Minimum wage ₦18,000; passport ₦7,000
Muhammadu Buhari: Minimum wage ₦33,000; passport ₦27,000
Bola Tinubu (2025): Minimum wage ₦70,000; passport ₦100,000
That comparison speaks volumes of the disparity. It’s no surprise that critics are tauntingly asking if previous administrations “printed passports in their fathers’ parlour,” insinuating that cost of documentation has ballooned beyond reason.
Final Thoughts
Nigeria’s new passport fee structure is not simply a financial shift—it’s a lightning rod revealing broader tensions:
Economic reality vs. government reform rhetoric
Trust deficit in public institutions
Innovation overshadowed by affordability concerns
For many Nigerians, the cost of a passport undercuts the very boost promised by the new minimum wage. Until the government bridges that gap—subsidies, phased pricing, or alternative models—the current policy risks being seen not as progress, but as a pressing burden.
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