Nigerians in Canada Hail Interior Minister and Immigration Service Over 2,233 Passports Captured in 5 Provinces

Nigerians living in Canada have commended the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and the Nigeria Immigration Service for the successful completion of the NiDEC passport intervention programme.

The programme, which took place in Toronto as part of the Nigeria Diaspora Economic Conference, captured 2,233 passport applicants across five Canadian provinces.

According to a press release issued on September 27, 2026 in Abuja by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols at NIDCOM, the intervention ran from August 12 to September 4, 2026.

The exercise brought passport services directly to Nigerian communities in Toronto, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatoon and Calgary.

It was implemented through collaboration between the Ministry of Interior, NiDCOM, the Nigerian High Commission, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigerian Canadian Association Council of Presidents and local Nigerian Canadian Associations.

Beneficiaries praised the speed of the process, with many saying they received their passports within four to seven days after biometric capture.

An applicant in Manitoba who got her passport within a week thanked all officials involved for their dedication and described the process as proof of a committed community structure.

Another beneficiary who received his passport within four days described the exercise as well planned, organised and efficient.

Stakeholders in the Nigerian community said the intervention showed the impact of responsive public service and improved the relationship between the Nigerian government and Nigerians in the diaspora.

They specifically commended the Nigeria Immigration Service for deploying officers to the five locations and working under tight schedules, including weekends, to attend to applicants.

The Nigerian Canadian Association Council of Presidents also acknowledged the roles of NiDCOM and the Nigeria Immigration Service in coordinating the exercise, saying the partnership between government institutions and diaspora groups made the multi-city programme possible as a coordinated national effort.

Community leaders have appealed to the Federal Government through the Minister of Interior to consider a second phase of the programme for Nigerians in Canada who could not benefit from the first phase.