The Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN) and its 20 partner organisations in New York
have called on President Bola Tinubu’s government to address the passport production crisis in Nigeria’s
missions in the U.S.
Nigeria has three missions in the United States. They are the consulates general of Nigeria in New York
and Atlanta and the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington DC.
The embassy in Washington DC is the only passport production centre in the U.S. The consulates take
biometrics in their missions to Washington, DC, for passport production.
Due to server hitches, the Nigerian embassy in Washington has not produced passports since November
13.
In a notice from the consulate general of Nigeria, the mission stated that all passport services had been
suspended.
It advised applicants to confirm if the situation had been normalised before reporting at the consulate
for their biometrics.
OAN and its partners, however, expressed deep concern over the regrettable breakdown of the Nigerian
passport server in the United States.
“This avoidable technical failure has not only halted Nigerian passport production all over the United
States but has also inflicted undue stress and frustration on numerous Nigerians,” said the association.
“We acknowledge the significant inconvenience and distress this situation has caused our fellow
countrymen and women.”
It also called on the government to invest in necessary technological infrastructure and support systems
and ensure the security and seamless functioning of critical services for Nigerians abroad.