The Federal Government has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to immediately withdraw and deactivate passports held by individuals who have formally renounced their Nigerian citizenship.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, issued the directive as part of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s border security and safeguarding the integrity of its citizenship system. The move affects Nigerians whose renunciation requests have been duly approved by the President.
According to the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media, Alao Babatunde, the directive is anchored on Section 29 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which stipulates that any Nigerian of full age may renounce their citizenship through a formal declaration. Once such a declaration is registered by the President, the individual ceases to be a Nigerian citizen.
Tunji-Ojo emphasized that individuals who have lost their citizenship are no longer entitled to hold any sovereign document of the country, including the Nigerian passport.
“We will continue to strengthen systems that secure Nigeria’s borders, prevent identity fraud, preserve the sanctity of Nigerian citizenship, and facilitate legitimate travel while preventing unauthorized or ineligible access,” the minister stated.
The directive forms part of a broader set of passport and visa reforms being implemented by the Ministry of Interior to enhance national security and ensure that only eligible persons have access to Nigerian travel documents.
