Nigeria jacks up passport fee by 43% amid ‘japa’ wave

The federal government has increased the cost of the nation’s passport by 42.8 percent as part of efforts to maintain the quality and integrity of the travel document.

The new fees, which take effect from 1st September, 2024, according to a statement on Wednesday, comes at a time when many more Nigerians are keen to leave the country.

The country has seen an exodus of its citizens, especially the youth, to developed countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, a development that is popularly known as ‘japa’ in local parlance. 

It said: “Based on the review, the 32-page passport booklet with a 5-year validity previously charged at N35,000.00 will now be N50,000 only, while the 64-page passport booklet with a 10-year validity, which was N70,000, will now be N100,000 only. 

“However, the fees remain unchanged in Diaspora.

“While the Nigeria Immigration Service regrets any inconvenience this increase might cause prospective applicants, it assures Nigerians of unwavering commitment to transparency and quality service delivery at all times.”