Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticized the Federal Government following its decision to increase the cost of international passports in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) announced new fees on Thursday, August 28, with the 32-page passport booklet now priced at ₦100,000 and the 64-page booklet at ₦200,000.
Reacting via X, Obi described the move as another attempt by the government to heap more burdens on already struggling Nigerians.
He wrote:
**“The obsession of this administration with putting a burden on the populace is becoming legendary and continues to reveal its apparent disconnect with the people and the suffering.
The International Passport fees in Nigeria have now skyrocketed to ₦100,000 for a 32-page booklet and ₦200,000 for a 64-page booklet. This is the third increase in just two years.
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, probably the only country in the world to achieve this feat.
Instead of making life easier, this government continues to shift the burden onto ordinary Nigerians. It is alarming that the price of the international passport is higher than what workers earn in a month.”**
The announcement of the new fees has sparked widespread outrage among citizens, with many echoing Obi’s concerns about affordability and the rising cost of living.
