Nigeria High Commission UK passport refund will see applicants who paid a £70 administrative charge receive £50 back, bringing the effective cost of the disputed fee down to £20.
The refund follows growing complaints from Nigerians in the United Kingdom over the additional charge imposed during the ongoing passport intervention exercise. The Nigeria High Commission announced the decision in a notice published on its website on Friday, September 11, after the £70 fee came under scrutiny and was subsequently reduced to £20.
The administrative charge had already been a point of contention among applicants. A £20 fee had been used during a similar passport intervention exercise under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The charge was later increased to £70 during the current exercise, reportedly without approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Applicants seeking replacement passports after losing their documents were reportedly charged £150.
Officials involved in the exercise told TheCable that the additional payment was introduced to help facilitate the process and generate revenue. The arrangement, however, drew complaints from Nigerians trying to access the special passport services in the UK.
The controversy also prompted Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to address concerns about the exercise. Tunji-Ojo said applicants were not supposed to be required to pay separate administrative fees and acknowledged difficulties surrounding the intervention programme.
The Nigeria Immigration Service has since clarified the official passport charges. In a statement issued on Friday, NIS spokesperson Akinsola Akinlabi said the applicable fees remain $162 for a passport booklet valid for five years and $242 for a 10-year booklet.
Akinlabi also said the intervention exercise was continuing at centres in London and Manchester after some challenges on its opening day. Nigerians eligible for the programme were encouraged to make appointments through the Nigeria High Commission’s website, with the immigration service stressing that no additional payment is required to take part in the intervention exercise.
The scale of demand has been significant. According to Akinlabi, 1,477 Nigerians were processed and enrolled during the first four days of the exercise. More than half of those applicants had already had their passports produced and dispatched to their addresses by the time of the statement.
The high level of interest has also led to an extension of the intervention programme. Tunji-Ojo approved an additional period for the exercise in London and Manchester, extending it from September 19 to October 3.
Further details on the extended dates, participating locations and appointment arrangements are expected to be released through the official channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria High Commission.
For applicants who already paid the £70 administrative charge, the refund means the amount ultimately retained by the High Commission will be £20. The decision also marks a response to one of the main complaints surrounding the passport intervention, while the immigration authorities have reiterated that applicants should not be asked to pay additional charges beyond the official passport fees.
