FG Orders Immediate Withdrawal of Passports From Nigerians Who Renounced Citizenship

FG Orders Immediate Withdrawal of Passports From Nigerians Who Renounced Citizenship

The Federal Government has directed the immediate withdrawal and deactivation of Nigerian international passports belonging to individuals who have formally and legally renounced their citizenship.

The directive was issued by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and conveyed through his media aide, Alao Babatunde, according to official government communications.

The order instructs the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to identify and deactivate all passports belonging to persons whose renunciation of Nigerian citizenship has been duly processed and approved by the President.

Officials clarified that the policy does not affect dual citizens or pending applications, but strictly applies to individuals whose citizenship renunciation has been completed under constitutional procedures.

The minister explained that once presidential approval is granted for renunciation, the affected individuals cease to be Nigerian citizens under the law, and therefore lose all rights associated with citizenship, including the use of Nigerian passports.

The policy is anchored on Section 29 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which provides that a citizen of full age who makes a declaration of renunciation, once registered and approved, shall no longer be recognised as a Nigerian citizen.

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According to the Interior Ministry, the possession of a Nigerian passport is a sovereign privilege reserved exclusively for citizens, and cannot be retained once citizenship is legally terminated.

The government said the move is part of broader ongoing passport and immigration reforms aimed at strengthening identity management, reducing document fraud, and enhancing border security.

Authorities added that the directive also seeks to improve the integrity of Nigeria’s travel documents system and prevent cases where non-citizens continue to benefit from Nigerian-issued identification.

“We will continue to strengthen systems that secure Nigeria’s borders, prevent identity fraud, preserve the sanctity of Nigerian citizenship, and facilitate legitimate travel,” Tunji-Ojo said.

The Nigeria Immigration Service has been tasked with enforcing the directive and ensuring immediate compliance across all relevant databases and passport control systems.

Security and policy analysts say the move aligns with global immigration practices where citizenship status directly determines eligibility for national travel documents.

However, legal experts note that enforcement must strictly follow due process, particularly in verifying official renunciation approvals issued through presidential authority.

The development comes amid wider reforms by the Tinubu administration to modernise Nigeria’s immigration system, identity verification framework, and border security architecture.

FG Orders Immediate Withdrawal of Passports From Nigerians Who Renounced Citizenship