President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has launched an electronic
international Passport. The new enhanced electronic international Passport unveiled recently has a 10-year validity period.
Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau, Minister of Interior, Nigeria and Mr. Mohammed Babandede, Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service presented the new enhanced electronic Passport to the President after a biometric capture of the President in the presence of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja.
The Nigeria Immigration Service explains the advantages of the new electronic Passport to include a 10-year validity period compared to the current Passport which has a 5-year validity period.
The NIS adds that the new electronic Passport also has enhanced self-tracking application; express center for urgent applications; weather friendly, compliant with latest International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards; polycarbonate technology that eliminates damage and enhanced security features.
In July 2018, the President approved the extension of the validity period of the international Passport from five to ten years to reduce the stress Nigerians went through every five years to renew their Passports.
The new electronic Passport is one of the reforms President Buhari to improve the quality and security of the Passport booklets. The new electronic Passport is expected to cost more than the current one and its issuance is expected to commence soon.
Photo Caption: Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari (right) presenting the new e-Passport with 10 years validity to his cabinet in Abuja, recently
