The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Federal Government to urgently rescind the newly announced passport fees by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
In a statement issued on Sunday, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, described the hike as arbitrary, unlawful, and discriminatory, stressing that it unfairly targets poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
According to SERAP, the new fees could effectively block millions of socially and economically disadvantaged citizens from obtaining passports. “Millions of disadvantaged Nigerians cannot realistically afford to pay the increased fees,” the group stated.
The organization emphasized that Nigerians should not be forced to divert their meager and insufficient income to cover the inflated costs of passports at the expense of meeting basic living needs. SERAP further argued that the decision by the Minister of Interior and the Comptroller General of the NIS to increase the fees was taken arbitrarily and without due consideration of the law.
“The unreasonable and disproportionate increase in passport fees is incompatible with the provisions of chapters 2 and 4 of the Nigerian Constitution covering fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy and fundamental rights,” the statement added.
The group insisted that those unable to afford the excessive charges would be denied full access to their constitutional rights as Nigerian citizens, as well as rights guaranteed under international human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory.
SERAP also noted that introducing such a steep increase during a period of economic hardship would only deepen poverty and worsen the financial struggles faced by ordinary Nigerians.
The NIS had earlier announced that, effective September 1, 2025, passport applications in Nigeria would cost N100,000 for a 32-page, five-year validity passport and N200,000 for a 64-page, 10-year validity passport. This adjustment comes less than a year after a similar increment in September 2024.
What you should know
SERAP is a civil society organization dedicated to promoting transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights in Nigeria.
It has consistently challenged government policies that it considers unjust or unlawful, especially those affecting disadvantaged groups.
In this case, SERAP is pushing for the reversal of the new passport fees, citing both constitutional and humanitarian grounds.
