A Nigerian based in the United States, Sage Vincent Ike, has alleged that he spent more than ₦1 million renewing his Nigerian passport, despite the Federal Government’s efforts to improve passport processing for citizens at home and abroad.
In a series of posts shared on X on Sunday, Ike recounted what he described as a frustrating four-month experience marked by repeated delays, additional expenses and administrative setbacks that disrupted his travel plans.
According to him, he applied for a passport renewal in March 2026 because his passport was scheduled to expire in May 2026. He said he had already paid for several trips, including a vacation to Japan, a 15-day Princess Cruises voyage covering Japan and South Korea, as well as a planned visit to Nigeria.
Ike explained that he drove nearly three hours from North Carolina to the Nigerian consulate for his biometric capture, only to discover on arrival that the office had been closed in observance of the Eid-el-Fitr public holiday.
He claimed that no prior notice of the closure had been communicated to applicants, forcing him to return home and reschedule the appointment, resulting in additional travel costs and wasted time.
The US-based Nigerian further alleged that the delays eventually caused him to miss parts of his travel itinerary, leading to financial losses from non-refundable bookings, transportation expenses and repeated visits to the consulate.
According to Ike, by the time he finally obtained the renewed passport, his total expenses had exceeded ₦1 million when converted from US dollars, far above the official passport renewal fee.
His account has sparked conversations on social media, with many Nigerians sharing similar experiences while urging authorities to strengthen communication and improve passport services for citizens living abroad.
ALSO READ:What FG’s New Airport Car Hire Policy Means for Travellers
Hope you find the Above publication useful, Calabargist will love to keep you updated via our newsletter by subscribing with your email.
