The Nigerian Embassy in Qatar has reduced the processing time for passport renewals and new applications to about two weeks, following a 10-day passport intervention exercise in Doha.
The exercise, which was held between August 11 and 21, 2026, allowed the embassy to process passport applications for 751 Nigerian nationals, according to a statement issued by the mission on Monday.
The applications included 441 requests for five-year passports and 310 applications for 10-year passports.
The embassy said distribution of the completed passports began on September 18, less than a month after the biometric capture exercise ended, allowing applicants to receive their travel documents earlier than the usual diplomatic processing period.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Qatar, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, described the development as a major milestone in the mission’s consular services.
The embassy said the faster processing initiative was introduced amid rising demand for consular services from Nigeria’s growing expatriate population in the Gulf state.
He added that the intervention was aimed at handling passport applications within a dedicated period, after which the embassy began distributing the completed documents less than a month after biometric capture.
The statement said the development is expected to reduce the waiting time for Nigerians in Qatar seeking to renew or obtain passports, especially those whose travel, employment or residency arrangements depend on valid travel documents.
The mission said the intervention also highlights the important role of diplomatic missions in providing essential consular services to Nigerians abroad, including passport issuance and renewal.
With 751 applications processed during the 10-day exercise, the embassy said the faster production and distribution process allowed beneficiaries to receive their passports significantly earlier than under the usual diplomatic processing cycle.
The latest effort comes as Nigerian diplomatic missions continue to address the consular needs of citizens living abroad, with passport services remaining one of the key areas of interaction between Nigerians overseas and their embassies.
For applicants who participated in the Doha intervention exercise, distribution of the completed passports began on September 18, marking the final stage of the process after biometric capture.
The embassy said the development reflects its commitment to improving the delivery of consular services to Nigerians living in Qatar.