Not less than 6,471 passports processed in 2022 have yet to find their owners, according to data from the Nigeria Immigration Services, NIS.
The passports were included as part of the 8,611 uncollected batches in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja, and the 148,000-awaiting collection across the 36 states of the federation.
These include standard, official, diplomatic, and emergency travel certificates and refugee passports as well as conventional travel documents.
Meanwhile, the NIS reckons that a large number of uncollected passports was due in part to incorrect contact details applicants submitted during the application process, making it very difficult for its personnel to reach out to the owners and inform them of the status of their passports.
The NIS is the only agency responsible for issuing passports in the country.
