The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has instructed the Nigeria Immigration Service to promptly withdraw and deactivate the passports of Nigerians who have renounced their citizenship.
However, he clarified that the directive applies solely to individuals whose renunciation requests have been formally approved by President Bola Tinubu.
The minister stated that the Ministry of Interior, responsible for safeguarding the integrity of citizenship, derives its authority from subsections (1) and (2) of Section 29 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which states that: “(1) Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation, and (2) The President shall cause the declaration made under subsection (1) of this section to be registered and upon such registration, the person who made the declaration shall cease to be a citizen of Nigeria”.
Tunji-Ojo, in a statement issued by his media aide, Alao Babatunde, on Friday, added that once an individual ceases to be a Nigerian citizen, they are no longer entitled to hold any sovereign document of the country, including its passport.
The minister further noted that the measure aligns with the passport and visa reforms implemented by the ministry in recent years.
“We will continue to strengthen systems that secure Nigeria’s borders, prevent identity fraud, preserve the sanctity of Nigerian citizenship, and facilitate legitimate travel while preventing unauthorised or ineligible access,” the minister was quoted as saying.
This latest action follows, by nearly a month, agreements signed between the Federal Government and the United Kingdom on migration partnership, organised immigration crime, and border security.
The agreements were concluded during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the UK in March.
Tunji-Ojo had previously stated that the deals reflect Nigeria’s commitment to a transparent, rules-based migration system that is safe, orderly, and mutually beneficial.
He added that they would help tackle “abuse of legal pathways” while reinforcing border control.
According to him, the memoranda of understanding are also expected to boost trade and facilitate business mobility, supporting the Federal Government’s wider economic objectives.