Nigerians across Europe and North America are urging the Federal Government to immediately address persistent delays and systemic challenges in obtaining National Identification Numbers (NIN) and Nigerian passports abroad.
The call was made by three Diaspora groups — the International Advocacy for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption (IAHRAC), Concerned Nigerians in Germany, and the Nigeria Business Forum, Switzerland — in a joint statement issued on Monday.
The statement was signed by Okoro Akinyemi of IAHRAC, Lewis Ehiwario of Concerned Nigerians, and Dozie Ugochokwu of the Nigeria Business Forum.
According to the groups, the appeal follows the release of a comprehensive report in Abuja, which outlines the recurring challenges encountered by Nigerians overseas. The document was produced after strategic meetings and a wide-ranging survey involving Diaspora communities across Europe and North America.
They noted that the report was designed to “identify recurring obstacles and document shared experiences across different jurisdictions,” with NIN verification and passport renewal emerging as top concerns.
The statement highlighted widespread frustration over slow and inconsistent processes.
“Nigerians abroad frequently face prolonged delays and additional travel burdens while trying to obtain or verify their NIN. Many applicants reported systemic obstacles that make timely processing extremely difficult,”
the groups said.
They called for accelerated digitalisation of both the NIN and passport systems, including improved funding for foreign missions, upgraded equipment, expanded staffing, and clearer immigration guidelines.
The groups insisted that embassies should offer both services seamlessly:
“Nigerians abroad should be able to access both services simultaneously at embassies to reduce duplication, stress and unnecessary logistical complications.
Embassies require strengthened digital infrastructure capable of managing increased service demand and expanded responsibilities.”
Citing findings from their survey, the organisations also raised concerns about Nigeria’s current NIN registration model.
“Overreliance on private agents has resulted in inconsistent procedures, high fees and widespread dissatisfaction among Nigerians seeking reliable identification services abroad.
Irregular fees, unpredictable processing timelines and inadequate oversight have fuelled concerns about possible exploitation,”
the statement added.
The groups recommended a secure, fully digitalised NIN platform accessible globally without third-party agents. They also urged the government to empower embassies and consulates to directly manage NIN and passport services, and proposed deploying mobile registration units in major cities to ease travel burdens for applicants.
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