The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service to withdraw and deactivate passports belonging to individuals who have officially renounced their Nigerian citizenship.
The directive was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media, Alao Babatunde. It applies to Nigerians whose renunciation requests have been duly approved by the President.
Tunji-Ojo explained that the ministry’s decision is backed by provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, particularly Section 29(1) and (2), which outlines the process for renouncing citizenship.
According to the constitutional provision, any Nigerian of full age who wishes to renounce their citizenship must make a formal declaration in the prescribed manner. Once the President registers the declaration, the individual ceases to be a Nigerian citizen.
The minister stressed that individuals who are no longer citizens are not entitled to hold Nigerian sovereign documents, including passports.
He added that the directive aligns with ongoing reforms in the country’s passport and visa systems, aimed at strengthening identity management and border security.
Tunji-Ojo noted that the move is intended to close an existing loophole that allowed former citizens to continue using Nigerian passports even after their renunciation had been formally recognised.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to enhancing border control, preventing identity fraud, preserving the integrity of Nigerian citizenship, and ensuring that travel documents are issued only to eligible individuals.
