To: The Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
To: The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
From: HallowMace Foundation Africa
Subject: Urgent Call for Legislative Intervention on The Exorbitant Increase in International Passport Fees and Poor Workers’ Remuneration in Nigeria
Your Excellencies,
We, the HallowMace Foundation Africa, a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting social justice, good governance, and economic equity across the African continent, hereby bring to your urgent attention the *recently approved upward review* of the Nigerian international passport fees by the executive arm of government, effective September 1, 2025. This decision, which increases passport fees to *₦100,000 for 32-page (5-year validity)* and *₦200,000 for 64-page (10-year validity)*, represents an *unconscionable burden* on ordinary Nigerians and requires your immediate legislative intervention .
1 *Comparative Analysis of Global Passport Fees and Minimum Wages*
1.1 *The Nigerian Context: An Outlier in Passport Affordability*
When placed within a global context, Nigeria’s proposed passport fees become particularly egregious. With the *new national minimum wage* set at *₦70,000 per month* (approximately $42 USD), the cost of a 32-page passport will consume *143% of a month’s salary* for a minimum wage earner . This means an average Nigerian worker would need to work for *over one and a half months* without any expenses to afford a basic travel document—a situation that effectively makes international mobility exclusive to the wealthy elite.
1.2 *International Comparison: Passport Cost as Percentage of Minimum Wage*
*Global Comparison of Passport Costs Relative To Minimum Wage*
*NIGERIA*
Minimum Wage = ₦70,000 ($42)
Passport Fee =₦100,000 ($60)
Percentage =143%
*UNITED STATES*
Minimum Wage $1,160 |
PassPorts Fee = $165
Percentage = 14%
*GERMANY*
Minimum Wage = €1,986 ($2,172)
Passports Fees= €70 ($77)
Percentage = 3.5%
*UNITED KINGDOM*
Minimum Wage = £1,954 ($2,499)
Passports fees £94.50 ($120)
Percentage= 4.8%
*INDIA*
Minimum Wage = ₹3,560 ($42)
Passports fees = ₹1,500 ($18)
Percentage 42%
**SOUTH AFRICA*
Minimum wage = ZAR 4,606 ($245)
Passports fees = ZAR 600 ($32)
Percentage 13%
*GHANA*
Minimum Wage, GHS 544.50 ($45)
Passports Fees = GHS 350 ($29)
Percentage = 64%
*CHINA*
Minimum Wage = CNY 2,690 ($370)
Passports Fre= CNY 120 ($17)
Percentage = 4.5%
*SOURCES:*
As evidenced by the comparative data, Nigeria stands as a *global outlier* in the disproportionate relationship between passport costs and minimum wage. While other nations maintain passport fees at *less than 20%* of monthly minimum wage (with most developed countries keeping it under 5%), Nigeria’s proposed fee structure exceeds *100%* of monthly earnings, a situation unmatched anywhere else in the world.
2 *SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE PASSPORT FEE INCREASE*
2.1 *The Diminishing Right to Mobility*
The proposed fee increase effectively *violates the fundamental right* to freedom of movement as enshrined in Section 41 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory. By placing passport services financially out of reach for most citizens, the government is *creating a class-based system* of mobility rights where international travel becomes exclusively reserved for the affluent.
2.2 *Compound Effect of Economic Hardships*
This passport fee increase comes at a time when Nigerians are grappling with *record-breaking inflation* (33.7% as of April 2025), currency devaluation, and inadequate public services . The *implementation gap* between official minimum wage policies and actual remuneration further exacerbates this situation—while the official wage is ₦70,000, many employers continue to pay the previous wage of ₦30,000 or less, making the passport cost even more prohibitively expensive for actual working Nigerians .
3 *Legal and Constitutional Considerations*
3.1 *The Legislative Oversight Responsibility*
The National Assembly, as the *direct representatives of the people*, holds constitutional oversight authority over executive actions. Section 88(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution empowers the legislature to “expose corruption, inefficiency, or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by it.” The proposed passport fee increase, without appropriate legislative consultation or consideration of its impact on citizens, represents an *overreach of executive authority* that requires your urgent intervention.
3.2 *Questionable Justification for Fee Increase*
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has justified the increase as necessary to “*uphold the quality and integrity* of the Nigerian Passport” . However, this justification appears questionable when considering that:
– Many countries with *more advanced passport technologies* charge significantly less relative to income
– The *production cost* of biometric passports has decreased globally due to technological advancements
– Previous fee increases have *not resulted in proportionate improvements* in service delivery or processing times
4 *Recommendations for Legislative Intervention*
We respectfully urge the National Assembly to take the following immediate actions:
1. *Issue a Moratorium*: Place an immediate hold on the implementation of the new passport fees scheduled to take effect on September 1, 2025, pending thorough legislative review and public hearings .
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2. *Conduct Public Hearings*: Organize open, transparent hearings with stakeholders including civil society organizations, labor unions, immigration experts, and the general public to determine a fair and equitable fee structure.
3. *Establish a Fair Pricing Framework*: Legislate a reasonable cap on passport fees as a percentage of the national minimum wage (recommended not to exceed 10%) to prevent future arbitrary increases.
4. *Improve Service Delivery*: Mandate that the Nigeria Immigration Service meet specific service delivery benchmarks (including processing time not exceeding 2-3 weeks as previously promised by the Minister of Interior) before any fee increases can be considered .
5. *Increase Transparency*: Require the NIS to publicly disclose the detailed cost breakdown of passport production and processing to justify any future fee adjustments.
6. *Consider Subsidies*: Explore possibilities of partial subsidy for passport acquisition for certain categories of citizens (students, low-income workers, senior citizens) as practiced in other countries.
*5 Conclusion: Upholding the Social Contract*
Your Excellencies, the proposed passport fee increase represents more than just a financial burden—it symbolizes the *breaking of the social contract* between the Nigerian government and its citizens. At a time when the country should be encouraging global connectivity, knowledge exchange, and economic opportunities abroad, this policy effectively *locks ordinary Nigerians out* of the global community.
We recall the words of the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who promised to “*digitise the passport application process*” and reduce processing time to “*between two and three weeks*” . Rather than achieving efficiency through technology and improved management, the government is resorting to *punitive pricing* that disadvantages the very citizens it serves.
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The HallowMace Foundation Africa implores the National Assembly to exercise its *constitutional authority* as the true representatives of the people to intervene in this matter. We must work together to ensure that government policies promote equity, protect fundamental rights, and consider the socioeconomic realities of ordinary Nigerians.
We request an opportunity to present our full position before relevant legislative committees and stand ready to provide any additional information or assistance required.
Respectfully submitted,
*Signed By:*
– *Anderson Osiebe*
Executive Director
*HallowMace Foundation Africa*
08037981940
– *Amb. Oguh Hyginus John*
Public Communications Officer
*HallowMace Foundation Africa*
08055414610
*Cc:*
– *Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior*
– *Chairman, House Committee on Interior*
– *Chairman, National Assembly Committee on Diaspora*
– *Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)*
– *Trade Union Congress (TUC)*
– *Media Houses*
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