The Nigeria High Commission in the United Kingdom has reduced its charge for the ongoing passport intervention exercise from £70 to £20 following protests and scrutiny over the additional fee imposed on applicants.
The fee was reduced on Wednesday, September 9, with the new amount displayed on the High Commission’s website. However, applicants were not separately notified of the change.
The reduction followed reports that the High Commission had imposed an additional £70 administrative charge during the passport intervention exercise that began on Monday, despite a previous directive issued under the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the report, the Buhari-era memo instructed Nigerian diplomatic missions not to charge more than £20 for making their premises available for similar passport intervention exercises. The High Commission was reported to have imposed the £70 administrative fee without approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while applicants replacing lost passports were charged £150.
Nigerians seeking faster passport renewals had booked appointments through the High Commission’s portal, which displayed the charges at the time they applied. Officials familiar with the payments said fees were collected from about 3,000 applicants even though the High Commission had the capacity to accommodate fewer than 300 people daily.
The newly reduced £20 passport intervention fee also remains separate from the £20 administrative charge stipulated under the previous Buhari administration directive. Officials involved in the exercise alleged that the High Commission had sought the additional payment to facilitate the process in order to “generate revenue”.
Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo had earlier expressed concern over the difficulties experienced by Nigerians during the passport intervention exercise. Tunji-Ojo also denied that the administrative fees allegedly demanded by officials were required, saying consultations were underway with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure the problems surrounding the exercise did not continue.
The development followed protests by Nigerians over the charges and difficulties encountered during the passport intervention programme. On Tuesday, September 8, the High Commission informed Nigerians that biometric capturing in London had been suspended. Applicants were subsequently directed to alternative centres to continue with their scheduled appointments.
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