General News
Aregbesola Inaugurates Alimoso Passport Front Office, NIS Lagos Command Building
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in Lagos formally inaugurated the Alimoso Passport Front Office established by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in further implementation of passport administration reforms aimed at making the application, processing and collection of the Nigerian international passport more accessible and seamless for the travelling public.
He also inaugurated the newly-reconstructed office complex at the Alagbon Close, Ikoyi headquarters of the Lagos State Command of the NIS, which he said was part of the Federal Government’s commitment to provide conducive workplace environment for the workforce in order to enhance productivity.
Speaking at the well-attended opening ceremony of the Alimoso Passport Front Office at Sobo Bus Stop, Akowonjo, the minister said one of the reasons for establishing the front office in Alimoso was to decongest traffic at the Ikoyi, Festac and Alausa Passport Offices and to bring services closer to residents in the local government area and its environs.
Ogbeni Aregbesola, while expressing satisfaction with the tremendous progress made in easing the challenges in passport procurement over the last two years, explained that the newly-inaugurated passport front office would ensure travelling public in and around Alimoso area would not need to travel long distance before they could apply and obtain the Nigerian international passport.
A statement by the Service Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Immigration (DCI) Anthony N. Akuneme, quoted the minister as saying that no less than additional 14 passport front offices would be established in the state because Lagos accounts for 50 per cent of all applications for the Nigerian passports in the country.
“We certainly need more of this in Lagos. This is because half of all passport applications are made in Lagos. At no time are less than 100,000 applicants from Lagos on the NIS portal applying for passports. We will therefore need not less than 15 of these front offices in Lagos alone, to be able to cut the application waiting period to one week,” he stated.
Ogbeni Aregbesola further said that due to funding constraint, government might consider public-private partnership arrangement to set up more passport front offices as part of other steps to deal with the challenges in urban centres where applications for passports are unusually high.
He said that while the private sector partners would provide the lounge, the offices would be manned by well-trained NIS personnel, stressing that having these offices would remove the bottlenecks and cut short the period of applying and obtaining the Nigerian passport as well as remove exploitation of applicants by racketeers.
The minister further announced that in the next few days, more passport front offices would be inaugurated in Daura, Katsina State; Jere, Zaria in Kaduna State; Ilesa in Osun State; Oyo in Oyo State and a special one at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos to cater to Nigerians in the Diaspora with expired passports to renew their passports or get reissue for the new enhanced e-Passport.
He reassured the travelling public that there was no shortage of passport booklets, saying that there was a firm arrangement with Iris Technologies Limited which ensures that at least 5,000 passport booklets were in NIS stores at any given time; even as he appealed to those planning to travel to start the process of passport application or renewal early to avoid what he called ‘panic-buying’ and to avoid falling into the hands of fraudulent persons who could hoodwink them into believing they could fast track the process.
Ogbeni Aregbesola warned the travelling public that neither he nor the Comptroller General of Immigration (CGI) could grant the waiver for express processing of the Nigerian passport except the President on the ground of extreme emergency medical for any citizen hose health condition required urgent travel.
Earlier in his speech, the CGI, Mr. Isah Jere Idris, stated that the Alimoso Passport Front Office was commissioned with a view to decongesting passport processing/issuing centres with overwhelming traffic such as the Ikoyi, Ikeja and FESTAC passport offices, while noting that the challenge with passport administration was about the process, and not the booklets.
“So, there is a need to continue to expand the infrastructure like what we are doing here today. We are privileged to be witnessing the commissioning and take-off of this Legacy Project by the Hon. Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbosola, the purpose of which is to decongest traffic at the Ikoyi, FESTAC and Alausa Passport Offices and bring services closer to indigenes of the largest local government area in Lagos State and its environs,” he said.
The NIS boss assured that the immigration service would continue to render efficient and effective service delivery to the public, while urging users of immigration services to avail themselves of the various digital platforms and channels put in place to reduce interference in the process of applying for the Nigerian passports aimed at eliminating touting, extortion and other vices.
CGI Idris warned that, “The Passport Office remains a no-go-area for touts, passport racketeers, fake breeder documents harvesters and all sorts of undesirable elements. I wish to warn that the long arm of the law and its full force will be visited on any person who by an act of commission or omission infringes on the Passport Offences as stipulated in Section 10(1a-h) of the Immigration Act, 2015.”
He also called on his officers and men at the Alimoso Passport Front Office to be above board in all their dealings with customers, stressing that any officer found wanting in acts unbecoming of his or her calling would face severe disciplinary measures.
Meanwhile, Ogbeni Aregbesola during the inauguration of the reconstructed complex at the state command charged officers and men of the NIS to embrace high maintenance culture, serene work environment and transparent service delivery to ensure people who come for any service were well-treated and decently.
He thanked the government and good people of Lagos State especially some illustrious individuals in the state who assisted in the reconstruction of the building.
In his remark, Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his Chief of Staff, Tayo Ayinde, appreciated the minister for coming in person to commission the complex describing the gesture as a demonstration of strong commitment and leadership of the Buhari-led administration.
He expressed the state government’s appreciation to the reform efforts of CGI Idris, stressing that the NIS has continued to discharge its duties in the state professionally.
Among the dignitaries who witnessed the inauguration of the Alimoso Passport Front Office were the Senior Special Assistant to the Proseident on SDGs, Prince Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; member, Lagos State House of Assembly for Alimoso Constituency II, Hon. Kehinde Joseph; Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamot Akinbile-Yusuf; Chairman, Alimoso Local Government, Hon. Jelili Sulaimon; Chairmen of Local Council Development Areas; top politicians, traditional rulers; community leaders; artisans and market women.
It would be recalled that the CGI during his recent tour of immigration formations in Zone A comprising Lagos and Ogun states inaugurated a number of projects aimed at upscaling service delivery in passport and immigration administration in the country.
Among the projects were the sod-turning for the construction of the proposed Abeokuta Passport Office building and the commissioning of projects at the Alausa and Ikoyi Passport Offices respectively.
These steps were on the heels of the implementation of numerous reforms of the passport administration carried out by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service.
The reforms include the successful rollout of the new enhanced e-Passport with Polycarbonate Data Page and 25 security features; opening of centralised passport production centres in Ibadan and Enugu, which has helped to uptake availability of passport booklets; as well as improved online passport application process (portal and timelines).
Others are improved secured (online) payment solutions that eliminate the activities of middlemen, touts, racketeers and fraudsters; online appointment-based enrolment for passport after payment; Passport Application Tracking (PATs) solution; opening of passport front offices; sensitisation of citizens; establishment of passport contact centres and digital channels; institutionalising the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for passport processing; policy on admittance of Nigerians with expired passports; sequential passport application processing; and the launch of Diaspora Fast Track Service, which made it possible for holders of expired Nigerian travel passports in the Diaspora to renew their expired passports under two weeks at no extra cost.
Federal government recently received a proposed protocol agreement from India that could pave the way for agricultural cooperation between the two countries.
Abishek Singh, India’s high commissioner to Nigeria, announced the proposal recently n Abuja during the India-Nigeria Business Forum on Agriculture and Allied Sectors.
New Delhi’s proposed cooperation would support Nigeria’s food security efforts, with the goal of reducing post-harvest losses by nearly 50% and expanding agricultural processing.
It would also cover technology transfers, mechanization, financing solutions and capacity building.
Abuja has opened similar discussions with China.
Only recently, Mukhtar Muhammed, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, said Nigeria wanted to deepen scientific and technological cooperation with Beijing in agriculture.
The discussions with China have focused on developing low-cost, solar-powered cold storage facilities and transferring food-processing technologies.
Nigeria, also wants to work with Chinese research institutes to develop infrastructure that can improve the preservation of perishable products.
Nigeria’s outreach to its Asian partners addresses a major problem for the agricultural sector.
The Bank of Agriculture (BoA) estimates that Africa’s most populous country loses 30 million to 40 million tons of food each year before it reaches consumers.
Those losses are worth an average of about N3.5 trillion ($2.5 billion) annually, according to data the institution presented at a workshop in Kaduna in July 2026.
Perishable products are particularly vulnerable, according to local media reports, with fruits and vegetables accounting for an estimated 40% to 50% of total losses.
The government has already launched its own response to the problem.
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) indicted the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and other ministries over administrative lapses that allowed the fictitious Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) to operate.
Musa Aliyu, chairman, ICPC, stated that NITDA, alongside the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), the Budget Office, and other bodies, failed to carry out adequate due diligence and standard operating procedures.
ICPC said however, clarified that the findings pointed to severe internal control weaknesses and administrative negligence rather than active official complicity by NITDA and the other affected agencies.
The briefing followed a 30-day investigation ordered by the president on July 7 into allegations surrounding the purported presidential council.
The commission also cleared the presidency and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of any wrongdoing but blamed institutional lapses in several ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Aliyu said investigators established that Adeniyi Adeyemi, the director-general, was never appointed by the federal government and that the PFIPC had no legal existence.
“As you may recall, on the 7th of July, Mr. President directed the ICPC to conduct an investigation into the fake Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council and submit a report within 30 days,” he said.
“Today, exactly within the stipulated period, we have submitted an interim report based on our interactions with all stakeholders involved.”
According to Aliyu, Tinubu directed the commission to make its findings public in the interest of transparency and accountability.
He said the investigation found that Adeyemi’s purported appointment letter was forged.
“It has been established that Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew was never appointed by the Federal Government or any authority whatsoever,” he said.
“The Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, which sometimes they called the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, was never established by any law, executive order or any valid instrument of government.
“The appointment letter presented by Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew was completely forged alongside similar documents used to perpetuate the illegal activities of the fake agency.”
Aliyu stated that a purported government gazette used to legitimise the organisation was also fabricated.
“If you recall, there was a gazette which he used to support the fake agency. That gazette is an illegal document that never passed through the processes prescribed by law,” he stated.
“Our investigation found that the office used by the fake agency was the office of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council. The office was broken into and access was gained illegally. That was how he was able to operate from there.”
Aliyu also revealed that investigators uncovered two additional fictitious government agencies allegedly created by the suspect — the FCT Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency/Public-Private Partnership (FIPA-PPP).
According to him, fake legislative instruments were used to create the agencies and open bank accounts.
Despite the elaborate scheme, the ICPC chairman said the investigation found no evidence that federal government funds were disbursed to the fake council.
“Our investigation found that no funds of the federal government were approved or disbursed to the fake PFIPC,” he said.
“We also discovered no weaknesses in the systems of the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria during our investigation. The fake appointment letter did not originate from the presidency.
“Our investigation found that some public officers failed to carry out due diligence and failed to comply with standard operating procedures in their ministries and departments. That gave him the opportunity to carry out these illegal acts.”
Nigeria tax system is build on taxing prosperity not poverty, according to Dr. Zacch Adedeji, executive chairman, Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS).
Dr. Zacch Adedeji, executive chairman, Nigeria Revenue Service
Adedeji, also dismissed the insinuation that the government’s tax reform is aimed at extracting money from Nigerians .
He said the essence of reform is creating an economic environment where individuals and businesses can prosper.
Dr. Adedeji made the clarifications on Sunday night while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he defended the administration’s tax reforms and addressed concerns over rising government revenue amid the economic hardship facing Nigerians.
According to him, the government’s objective is to tax the fruits of investment rather than the investment itself.
“For us at Nigeria Tax, we are not there to extract. Our focus is not revenue. I don’t want to tax poverty. I’m to tax the fruit, not the seed, and I’m to tax the return, not investment.”
Adedeji explained that the government would generate more revenue as businesses became more profitable, without necessarily increasing the tax burden on individuals and companies.
He said a company that made N100 in profit could generate N30 in tax revenue for the government, but if its profit increased to N200 or N300, government revenue would rise accordingly.
“So, if I want to make more, I must work for you to make more. And that is why it is in the best interest of us in Nigeria Revenue Service that businesses are doing well, individuals are doing well,” he said.
He said the approach was consistent with President Bola Tinubu’s economic agenda, which seeks to remove barriers to investment and create a more conducive environment for businesses to operate and expand.
Adedeji cited reforms in the electricity sector as part of the government’s efforts to stimulate economic activity.
He noted that the Electricity Act had devolved powers to state governments to generate, transmit and distribute electricity, arguing that improved power supply would boost production and productivity across the economy.
Affordable, Flexible Streaming Platforms May Kill PAYtv – Report
FG Suspends NAICOM’s N680m Insurance Recapitalisation Fees
FG Taps Indian, Chinese Technologies to Tackle $2.5Bn in Food Losses
MTN Nigeria Clocks 25, Connects over 90m People
Subscribers to Seek Legal Redress if Poor Quality of Service Continue in September
EFCC Busts NIS Visa Overstay Racket, Uncovers N700m in an Account
Fact-Check: Elon Musk’s “Tesla Pi Phone” is Internet Rumor
NBC Tasks Broadcasting Stations over 2028 DSO Global Deadline
NBC Scraps Annual Digital Access Fee on DSO
Glo Sponsored African Voices to Feature Netflix’s “The Polygamist” Stars
E-Business2 days agoX Replaces Revenue Sharing wit New Creator Rewards Programme
Telecom2 days agoMTN Alerts Subscribers over Fake 25GB Anniversary MTN Data Giveaway
E-Financial2 days agoInterswitch, Temenos Commit to Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Banking Technology
General News2 days agoFake Agency: ICPC Indicts NITDA, Others over Inadequate Due Diligence
E-Financial2 days agoFG Spent N3.1 Trillion on Domestic Debt Servicing in Q1- DMO
General News2 days agoUNESCO Taps Oguamanam,Nigerian Scholar to Advisory Body on Science, Tech Ethics
General News2 days agoTax Reform Built on Taxing Prosperity, Not Poverty– Adedeji
Broadcasting2 days agoAwba-Ofemili Unveils 2026 Health Campaign, Offers Free Medical Screening