By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to immediately withdraw and deactivate passports held by Nigerians who have formally renounced their citizenship.
The directive, issued on April 10, 2026, targets individuals whose renunciation requests have been duly approved by the President, reinforcing the government’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s citizenship system and preventing the misuse of national identity documents.
Explaining the legal basis for the decision, the minister stated that the Ministry of Interior derives its authority from Section 29 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which outlines the process and consequences of renouncing Nigerian citizenship. He quoted the provision, saying, “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. 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.”
Consequently, Tunji-Ojo emphasised that once an individual ceases to be a Nigerian citizen, such a person is no longer entitled to possess any sovereign document of the country, including a Nigerian passport. He stressed that retaining such documents after renunciation contravenes established legal and administrative procedures.
Furthermore, the minister noted that the directive aligns with ongoing passport and visa reforms introduced by the ministry in recent years to strengthen border security and enhance identity management systems. He added that the government remains focused on tightening controls to prevent abuse of official documents.
“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 unauthorized or ineligible access,” he said.
