The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to withdraw and deactivate passports belonging to Nigerians who have officially renounced their citizenship.
The directive, issued by the Ministry of Interior, applies to individuals whose renunciation of Nigerian citizenship has been formally approved by the President, in line with constitutional provisions governing nationality.
According to the statement, “The Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to immediately withdraw and deactivate passports of Nigerians who have renounced their citizenship but still retain the documents.”
It further clarified that, “This directive applies strictly to individuals whose renunciation requests have been formally approved by the President.”
The Minister explained that the decision is backed by the provisions of Section 29 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which outlines the legal process for renouncing Nigerian citizenship.
“(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.”
He further noted that individuals who have ceased to be citizens are no longer entitled to hold Nigerian sovereign documents, including passports.
The statement added that the directive aligns with ongoing reforms within the Ministry aimed at strengthening identity management and safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s citizenship system.
“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.”
The statement was issued on April 10, 2026, by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media, Alao Babatunde.
Ademide Adebayo
