The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to withdraw and deactivate passports belonging to individuals who have formally renounced their Nigerian citizenship.
The directive, announced in a statement issued by his media aide, applies to persons whose renunciation has been duly approved by the President in line with constitutional provisions.
Citing Section 29(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the minister noted that any Nigerian of full age who completes the renunciation process ceases to be a citizen upon presidential registration of the declaration.
Tunji-Ojo stressed that such individuals are no longer entitled to hold Nigerian sovereign documents, including passports, once their citizenship status has changed.
He described the move as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening passport administration and safeguarding national identity systems.
According to him, the directive is designed to eliminate loopholes that previously allowed former citizens to continue using Nigerian passports despite officially renouncing their nationality.
The minister added that the government remains committed to enhancing border security, preventing identity fraud, and ensuring that only eligible individuals have access to Nigerian travel documents.
