Nigerians in Canada Commend Tunji-Ojo, Immigration Service Over Passport Intervention
Oru Leonard
Nigerians resident in Canada have commended the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for the successful completion of the NiDEC Passport Intervention Programme.
The intervention captured 2,233 passport applicants across five Canadian provinces, bringing passport services closer to Nigerian communities during the Nigeria Diaspora Economic Conference (NiDEC) in Toronto.
The exercise, which ran from August 12 to September 4, 2026, covered Nigerian communities in Toronto, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatoon and Calgary.
It was implemented through a collaboration involving the Ministry of Interior, NiDCOM, the Nigerian High Commission, NIS, the Nigerian Canadian Association Council of Presidents (NCACP) and local Nigerian Canadian associations.
Beneficiaries expressed satisfaction with the efficiency and turnaround time of the intervention, with some reporting that they received their passports between four and seven days after biometric capture.
An applicant in Manitoba, who received her passport within a week of completing her biometric capture, commended the officials involved, describing the process as evidence of a committed community-focused service structure.
Another beneficiary, who received a passport four days after biometric capture, described the intervention as well planned, organised and efficient.
Community stakeholders said the exercise demonstrated the impact of responsive public service while strengthening the relationship between the Nigerian Government and citizens in the diaspora.
They particularly praised the NIS for deploying officers to the five locations and working under demanding schedules, including weekends, to ensure that applicants accessed the required passport services.
The NCACP also acknowledged the contributions of NiDCOM and NIS in coordinating the intervention, noting that the collaboration between government institutions and diaspora organisations enabled the multi-city exercise to operate as a coordinated national initiative.
Following the success of the programme, community leaders appealed to the Federal Government, through the Minister of Interior, to consider a second phase to provide passport services to Nigerians in Canada who were unable to benefit from the first intervention.
The statement was signed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun (mnipr), Director, Media, Public Relations and Protocols, NiDCOM, Abuja.
