In a letter dated December 22, 2023, the Comptroller General of the NIS, Wura-Ola Adepoju, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, through the Office of Assistant Comptroller General, Border Management, the NIS asked that Nigerians “be admitted into the country with their expired Nigerian passports”.

“l am directed to refer to the above subject matter and to inform you that the Federal Government of Nigeria in her efforts to make life easy for Nigerians in the diaspora has approved that all Nigerians returning home can be admitted into the country with their expired Nigerian passports.

“I am further directed to inform airlines coming to Nigeria to allow holders of Nigeria expired passports to board without let.

“In furtherance to the foregoing, all Nigeria Embassies and High Commissions are advised to give this directive the highest publicity it deserves.

“Consequent upon the above, all entry/exit points are by the copy of this letter directed to open a help desk for all Nigerians in this category and directed same to passport offices where their passports will be reissued within a maximum of two (2) weeks,” the letter sighted by Daily Trust stated in part.

The directive aims to make it easier for Nigerians abroad to celebrate the festive season in their home country.

Entry/exit points are directed to open help desks for processing reissued passports within a maximum of two weeks.