According to "Henley Passport Index" the world's official passport ranking organization, the Nigerian passport is currently ranked at 96 on the board, with access to over 45 countries of the world. Does this mean the Nigerian passport isn't powerful enough? or what are the dilemmas associated with my nation's passport?
We are lucky to be in this age, where intercultural exchanges are the order of the day. With just a passport and other essential requirements, we can travel to various countries of the world. But the process of obtaining a Nigerian passport is where my problem lies.
Nigerian citizens have the privilege of traveling to only 46 different countries either without a visa or by obtaining a visa on arrival. This level of accessibility places the Nigerian passport among the lowest when compared to the global passport hierarchy.
This means that even the holders of this passport have limited use for it. The impact of some of these restrictions doesn't just affect personal travels, but also the broader prospects of intercultural exchange and international opportunities for Nigerians.
This is somehow sad because our green card (passport) remains a key requirement for most of us seeking to explore, work, and engage with the world beyond these borders. It surprises me that even some of our neighboring African countries still demand strict restrictions from us whenever we try to visit them.
Despite all these limitations, it's still funny to know that our passport isn't that easy to get. On the journey to obtain a Nigerian passport, you must first be required to browse through the official Nigerian Immigration Service portal to initiate the online application. This is where the traveler would be asked to accurately input their personal details in the provided form.
After filling in your details here, you will be scheduled for an appointment, but before then you must have to pay the stipulated fee. The application mandates the submission of every important document you have, verifying the applicant’s identity, nationality, and residency, among other requirements.
After the online verification is complete, you would still be required to come for manual paperwork and verification again. The complexity of this process is what gets me discouraged, as applicants would be required to gather and wait for hours to submit various forms of documentation.
One of the saddest parts towards getting this green card (passport) is that some of the officials in charge of processing the passports are corrupt men and women. If you are not ready to bribe them, they are willing to waste your time as much as they can.
Many have reported instances where officials have solicited bribes to fast-track the whole process of their application. If an applicant wants his passport delivered in less than 3 days, he must be willing to bribe through with nothing less than $80, else he might wait for more the 3 months before getting his passport.
Applicants often face a lack of clarity and efficiency from the Nigerian Immigration Service, leading to increased waiting times. Sometimes these applicants are not told how the bribing thing works, they would innocently wait for their passport to be processed and delivered to them, but to no avail.
Getting this green passport is never easy, as the application process needs much improvement. In most cases, it's the issue of system outage, and in other times inaccessible online application portal, which can pause the submission of applications for indefinite periods.
There are cases where there's misinformation and confusion regarding the necessary documentation required, and this can result in multiple trips back to the immigration office.
All these difficulties highlight the need for systemic reforms within the Nigerian passport application system to improve efficiency, transparency, and accessibility for all Nigerians aspiring to travel abroad.
My entry for day 24 of the InLeo monthly prompt, organized by the Leo team. You can check out the link here for participation.
