The Nigeria Immigration Service has refuted claims that it suspended passport services in Kano, clarifying that its directive to migrate two passport production centres in the state to the Central Personalization Centre does not signify a shutdown of passport operations.

The clarification, issued on August 5, followed concerns that the relocation of the additional passport production centres could disrupt passport processing in Kano and other affected locations.

The response followed calls by some Nigerians, including former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad and commentator Ahmad Loriman, for the decision to be reconsidered.

The Nigeria Immigration Service explained that the migration is an administrative restructuring of passport production and does not affect passport enrolment or biometric capture, which will continue at applicants’ designated passport centres.

The NIS said the transfer of additional passport production branches to the Central Personalization Centre is a strategic administrative reform designed to improve efficiency and should not be interpreted as a suspension of passport services.

“Applicants can still visit their local centers to complete biometric data capture seamlessly. This centralized production framework is designed to align with global security standards, streamline processing timelines, and significantly safeguard the integrity of the Nigerian passport,” it stated.

The controversy stemmed from an internal circular issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service’s Passport and Other Travel Document Directorate on August 3, 2026, approving the migration of 10 passport production branches to the Central Personalization Centre, effective August 10.

The affected centres are Farm Centre Kano, Dawakin Kudu Kano, Jalingo, Gombe, Yola, Bauchi, Port Harcourt, Uyo, Calabar and Yenagoa.

According to the circular, passport booklets for the affected centres will be processed and dispatched from the Central Personalization Centre, while completed passports will be delivered directly to the respective passport offices for collection.

The directive sparked criticism, particularly in Kano, where some stakeholders argued that relocating passport production from the state could cause unnecessary inconvenience for residents and businesses seeking passport services.