Esther Salifu
Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has justified the recent increase in passport fees, citing the exchange rate between the dollar and naira as the driving factor.
The new fees, announced in August, see a 32-page passport rise from N35,000 to N50,000 and a 64-page passport from N70,000 to N100, 000
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja to mark his first year in office, the minister said the government cannot subsidise passport fees for Nigerians.
“The increase in passport fees is a matter of cost-benefit analysis, especially when you consider the exchange rate between the dollar and the naira.” – Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo
Tunji-Ojo clarified that the price hike doesn’t affect Nigerians living abroad and emphasized that the government cannot subsidize passport fees. He noted the increase is only about 45 percent.
