FG to withdraw passports from Nigerians who renounce citizenship

The federal government has ordered the immediate withdrawal and deactivation of Nigerian passports belonging to individuals who have officially given up their citizenship.

The directive, announced on Saturday by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, was shared via the ministry’s verified X (formerly Twitter) account.

He instructed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to implement the order without delay.

According to a statement from his spokesperson, Alao Babatunde, the policy only affects individuals whose renunciation of Nigerian citizenship has been formally approved by the President, in line with constitutional requirements.

Quoting the Constitution, the statement noted: “(1) 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.

“(2)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.”

The Minister emphasised that once a person ceases to be a Nigerian citizen, they are no longer entitled to hold any sovereign document of the country, including the Nigerian passport.

“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.