FG to launch contactless passport application service in four states, says Tunji-Ojo

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, says the federal government will launch the contactless passport application service in four states in January 2025.

Speaking on The Morning Show, an Arise Television programme on Wednesday, Tunji-Ojo said the experimental phase of the project would be launched in Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, and Kano states.

The minister said the contactless passport application service will be rolled out internationally to Nigerians in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, and France, following its successful launch in Canada.

He added that a phased rollout allows the government to refine the system, ensuring its reliability before expanding access to all.

“I come from a tech management consulting background and in my experience, you don’t launch a project of that magnitude all over at the same time,” Tunji-Ojo said.

“There will be what we call the system shock. And once there’s a system shock, it erodes the benefit that you aim to derive.

“So, we decided that before we open it up to the entire world, let’s start with Canada. And as I speak to you, we’re already producing passports based on the contactless system in Canada.

“By January, we’re taking it to four countries, which include UK, United States, Italy, and France. And of course in Nigeria, we’re opening it up in Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, and Kano.”

The minister acknowledged initial technical issues with the service in Canada, but assured that glitches have been fixed through “patching” and continuous corrections on the system.

He noted that the moment the system is perfect, it would become “a legacy for this particular administration and something Nigerians can be proud of forever”.

“This is why we have adopted a cautious approach towards the project or else people will jump on it and at the end of the day, the frustration can even lead to the failure of the process,” Tunji-Ojo added.