The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji‑Ojo, has ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service to immediately withdraw and deactivate passports belonging to Nigerians who have formally renounced their citizenship. The action applies only to individuals whose renunciation requests have received presidential approval, meaning they may no longer retain or use Nigerian travel documents after the process is completed.
Special Adviser on Media to the Minister, Alao Babatunde, explained that the policy is anchored in Section 29, subsections (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. The constitution states that a citizen of full age who wishes to renounce must make a prescribed declaration, after which the President registers the declaration and the person ceases to be a citizen.
Tunji‑Ojo emphasized that loss of citizenship automatically disqualifies a person from holding any sovereign document of the state, including a passport. The directive is part of a wider set of passport and visa reforms pursued by the Ministry of Interior in recent years.
Commenting on the move, the minister said it aims 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."
Olubunmi Tunji‑Ojo's decision to strip passports from citizens who have renounced their nationality marks a decisive tightening of Nigeria's citizenship controls. By linking passport validity directly to constitutional citizenship status, the minister signals that the state will not tolerate any residual privileges for former nationals.
The order rests on Section 29 of the 1999 Constitution, which requires presidential registration of a renunciation declaration before a person ceases to be a citizen. Embedding the policy within this legal framework gives it a solid constitutional footing, while the broader passport and visa reforms underscore a systematic push to curb identity fraud and bolster border security.
For Nigerians living abroad who have formally given up their citizenship, the ruling eliminates a convenient travel document, potentially forcing them to rely on foreign passports that may not afford the same visa-free access. Dual nationals who considered relinquishing Nigerian status to avoid tax or legal obligations now face an added hurdle: loss of a passport that facilitated regional movement.
The move aligns with a growing trend of stricter immigration and identity management across the country, reflecting a governmental preference for tighter regulation of who may claim the benefits of Nigerian nationality.
