The Federal Government has ordered the immediate withdrawal and deactivation of Nigerian passports from individuals who have formally renounced their citizenship. The directive was issued by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and is to be enforced by the Nigeria Immigration Service.
According to the ministry, the policy applies strictly to citizens whose renunciation of nationality has been officially approved and registered by the President, as required by law. Once that process is completed, such individuals are no longer recognized as Nigerian citizens and, therefore, lose the legal right to possess or use Nigerian travel documents.
The Special Adviser on Media to the minister, Alao Babatunde, explained that the directive is rooted in the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. Specifically, Section 29(1) and (2) outlines the process for renouncing citizenship, stating that any Nigerian of full age may declare their intention to renounce nationality. Upon registration of that declaration by the President, the individual officially ceases to be a citizen of Nigeria.
Tunji-Ojo emphasized that citizenship status is directly tied to the right to hold national identity documents. He noted that once citizenship is relinquished, retaining a Nigerian passport becomes both unlawful and inconsistent with the country’s sovereignty. As a result, the Nigeria Immigration Service has been instructed to ensure full compliance by identifying and invalidating such passports without delay.
The minister described the move as part of broader reforms within the Ministry of Interior aimed at strengthening the integrity of Nigeria’s identity management and travel documentation systems. He added that the policy is designed to enhance border security, reduce the risk of identity fraud, and safeguard the value of Nigerian citizenship.
Reaffirming the government’s position, Tunji-Ojo stated that efforts would continue to modernize and secure the nation’s immigration processes while ensuring that only eligible individuals have access to official travel documents.
