Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has launched a sharp critique against the Federal Government’s decision to significantly increase the fees for international passports, labeling the move an “outrageous” imposition on citizens already grappling with economic hardship.
The new fee structure, announced by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), raises the cost of a 32-page passport booklet to ₦100,000, while the 64-page booklet will now cost ₦200,000.
In an statement on his X platform, Obi expressed dismay, stating that the government’s “obsession with placing a burden on the populace is becoming legendary.” He argued that this repeated action “continues to reveal its apparent disconnect with the people and the suffering.”
Obi provided critical context, noting this is the third such increase in just two years. He described the issue in stark, relatable terms by comparing the cost to the national minimum wage.
“In a country where the new minimum wage is only ₦70,000, the cost of a single passport now exceeds a worker’s monthly salary,” he stated. He called this disparity “alarming,” emphasizing that the government is “shifting the burden onto ordinary Nigerians” instead of finding ways to make life easier for them.
Recall that the passport fees were also increased last year in August 2024.
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