A diplomatic expert and public Affairs Analyst Kingsley Chukwu has revealed that the £70 administrative fee charged during the ongoing special passport intervention exercise in the United Kingdom remains sacrosanct for applicants, contrary to widespread misinterpretation of recent public statements by the Minister of Interior.
The clarification comes as the Nigeria High Commission in London continues to manage the fallout from a controversial announcement that has led many Nigerians to refuse payment of any administrative charges, despite the fee having been approved by the President. The diplomatic expert, in detailed findings, revealed that the Minister’s statement about no additional charges was never intended to nullify the administrative fee approved for the exercise, but to clarify that the standard passport fees remain unchanged.
“The Minister’s statement has been taken out of context by many applicants who now believe the entire process is free. This is not the case. The President approved the £70 administrative fee, and it remains in force. It is not a new charge but a necessary contribution to cover the operational costs of the exercise,” the expert said. The £70 fee, according to the High Commission, was introduced to cover expenses incidental to the exercise, including overtime allowances for deployed officers, transportation, estacodes, and other operational costs associated with conducting the intervention across four cities. The High Commission had also clarified that a standard £20 administrative charge for passport renewal at the Mission remains in effect, and that both fees were approved by the President.
However, Chukwu said the Minister of Interior’s public announcement that there were no charges for the intervention created unintended consequences, with applicants refusing to pay even the reduced administrative fee and claiming that the process had been made entirely free. “The Minister needs to come out clearly and state that his announcement does not affect the payment of administrative fees already approved by the President. Anything short of this will continue to create confusion and undermine the exercise,” the expert added.
The situation has been further complicated by unsubstantiated allegations of extortion levelled against the Nigeria Immigration Service and the High Commission, allegations that the Mission has described as damaging to the reputation of both institutions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Chukwu noted that the confusion stemmed from a failure to harmonise public communication between the Ministry of Interior, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the High Commission before the exercise commenced, a gap that the Mission had flagged in its internal correspondence.
The Nigeria Immigration Service announced the special intervention without recourse to the High Commission and without harmonising key aspects such as cost implications and attendance modalities, leaving the Mission with insufficient time to prepare unlike the previous exercise held in December 2025. “The NIS announced without recourse to the High Commission. Key aspects such as cost implications and modalities for attendance were not harmonised. This is a serious coordination failure that should never have happened,” the expert noted.
Chukwu emphasised that the High Commission should make requests to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including that the Minister of Interior desist from making sweeping announcements without recourse to the Ministry and the Mission for verifiable evidence and that he publicly clarify that his statement does not affect the payment of administrative fees approved by the President. The expert further noted that even Honorary Consuls are entitled to charge service fees and that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should provide the necessary backing to withstand the social media onslaught directed at the High Commission and the Ministry.
“Even Honorary Consuls charge service fees. So why should the High Commission be vilified for charging an administrative fee that was approved by the President? The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must provide the necessary backing for the Mission to withstand this social media onslaught,” the expert stated. The first day of the exercise on September 7 saw a substantial number of applicants arrive from the early hours of the morning at both London and Manchester locations, resulting in overcrowding and delays in biometric capturing. The situation was worsened by the fact that only one camera and biometric capture machine were available for use by NIS personnel in London, a logistical shortfall that the expert attributed to the lack of proper coordination between the agencies involved. “Only one camera and one biometric capture machine for the entire London operation is unacceptable. This is a direct consequence of the NIS failing to harmonise with the Mission. The equipment and personnel deployed were simply not sufficient to manage the volume of applicants,” He said.
According to sources within the Mission; they had to shoulder the full financial burden of the exercise after the Nigerian community, which had supported the 2025 intervention by providing venues and logistics, declined to do so this time. This forced the High Commission to cover accommodation and upkeep for three Immigration officers who arrived in London three weeks earlier as an advance party, a cost that the administrative fee was designed to offset. “In 2025, the Nigerian community provided venues and logistics, which lessened the financial burden on the Mission. But that arrangement ended in scandal when allegations of religious affiliation surfaced because the venues were mostly church properties. This time, the community did not support, and the Mission had to bear the full cost, including accommodation and upkeep of three Immigration officers who arrived three weeks ago,” the expert explained.
Chukwu maintained that the £70 fee is not an arbitrary charge but a necessary contribution to ensure the smooth conduct of the exercise, and that applicants who have already paid the standard passport fees are still required to pay the administrative charge unless the President directs otherwise. “The £70 fee is not arbitrary. It is a necessary contribution to ensure the exercise runs smoothly. Applicants who have paid the standard passport fees are still required to pay the administrative charge unless the President directs otherwise. This is the position, and it must be communicated clearly to the public,” the expert emphasised. The expert urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take a firm stance on the matter and ensure that the Minister of Interior’s statements are properly contextualised to avoid further confusion. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must take a firm stance.
The Minister of Interior’s statements must be properly contextualised. Otherwise, the confusion will continue, and the exercise will suffer,” the expert warned. As of the time of reporting, the exercise has commenced at the Mission’s property on Fleet Street and is gradually picking up pace, while no challenges are reported at the Manchester centre. The High Commission has stated that it will continue to monitor the situation and report any significant incidents. The events of the past two days have underscored the critical need for improved inter-agency coordination and clear, consistent public communication to ensure that well-intentioned initiatives are not undermined by avoidable administrative and public relations challenges.
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