Nigeria Orders Withdrawal of Passports From Citizens Who Renounce Nationality

Nigeria’s Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has ordered the withdrawal and deactivation of passports belonging to individuals who have formally renounced their Nigerian citizenship. The government says the move will strengthen citizenship integrity, prevent passport misuse, and close loopholes that previously allowed former citizens to continue using Nigerian travel documents after renunciation approval.

Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has issued a directive ordering the Nigeria Immigration Service to immediately withdraw and deactivate passports belonging to individuals who have formally renounced their Nigerian citizenship, in a move aimed at tightening control over national identity documents.
According to an official statement released on Saturday, the directive applies specifically to persons whose renunciation of citizenship has been formally processed and approved by the President of Nigeria. The government explained that the action is intended to strengthen the integrity of Nigerian citizenship records and prevent the continued use or misuse of passports by individuals who are no longer legally recognised as citizens.
Tunji-Ojo said the measure forms part of broader government efforts to reinforce national security systems, secure Nigeria’s borders, and reduce cases of identity fraud. He emphasised that the administration is working to ensure that Nigerian passports remain credible and are only used by those who are legally entitled to hold them. At the same time, he noted that the government continues to support legitimate travel and mobility while blocking access for those who are no longer eligible.
The directive also addresses what authorities described as a gap in the system, which previously allowed some individuals to continue travelling with Nigerian passports even after their citizenship renunciation had been officially completed. Officials say the new policy closes that loophole by ensuring that once a person ceases to be a citizen, they immediately lose entitlement to all sovereign documents issued by Nigeria, including passports.
The minister further stated that the decision is consistent with ongoing reforms within the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service aimed at modernising passport and visa administration. These reforms, he said, are designed to improve efficiency, strengthen documentation processes, and enhance the overall security framework governing identity management in the country.