Japa syndrome: NIS reveals number of Nigerians that received traveling passports in 2023

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced that it issued more than 2 million passports to Nigerians in 2023.

Comptroller-General Immigration, Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju, disclosed this on Tuesday during a Diaspora virtual lecture series.

The lecture was tagged ‘New Passport Policy/Processes for Nigerians in the Diaspora Confirmation’ organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).

Adepoju stressed that the large-scale migration of Nigerians to affluent nations commonly referred to as “Japa” has resulted in an extraordinary surge in passport applications.

According to the CGI, 1.5 million passports were issued in 2022, indicating a roughly 50% increase in applications above the 1.3 million passports issued in 2021.

There was a 100 percent rise in applications in 2023, with 2,141,300 passports being issued in the previous year.

Additionally, she praised the automation of the passport application process, stating that it benefits applicants and eliminates the need for in-person interactions with immigration authorities.

The CGI added that since the automation went online last month, over 100,000 applications have been received online, and more than 80% of them have been processed without any issues.

Chairman/CEO of NIDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on her part, commended the Minister and the CGI for the milestone achievements recorded within a short period, culminating in easing the pains of Nigerians.