According to Mrs. Caroline Adepoju, Controller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the service would expand its passport service locations to better serve Nigerians living abroad.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, Adepoju stated that initiatives were also underway to streamline the nation’s passport application process.

“I have it on good authority that in UK, we have over four million Nigerians and this number increases everyday because of the “Japa syndrome”; families that relocated, students, and those in search of greener pastures and jobs.

“So all hands are on deck to ensure that we create more service points in the UK, Canada and in the USA. We listen to the plight of our nationals, we hear their cries and we are working hard and by the grace of God, we will get there,” she said.

She also urged people living abroad whose passports were dependent on their status and length of stay there to constantly remember that they must renew their passports on time.

Adepoju said the NIS has cleared thousands of pending passport applications and urged those who applied to come forward and collect their passports.