By Iroyin Yoruba Television
Nigerians living in Canada have called for another phase of a special passport intervention programme after 2,233 applicants were served during an exercise designed to bring Nigerian passport services closer to communities across the country.
The request followed the completion of the Nigeria Diaspora Economic Conference Passport Intervention Programme, which provided biometric enrolment and passport-related services at several locations in Canada. The exercise was conducted between August 12 and September 4, 2026, covering Nigerian communities in Toronto, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatoon and Calgary.
The programme brought together the Ministry of Interior, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigerian High Commission and Nigerian community organisations in Canada.
Passport services taken closer to Nigerians
For many Nigerians living outside Nigeria, accessing passport services can involve travelling significant distances to diplomatic missions or designated centres. The Canadian intervention was structured to address part of that challenge by taking officials and passport services directly to different communities.
Rather than requiring applicants from different provinces to converge on one location, the exercise operated across five locations. This enabled applicants in Toronto, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatoon and Calgary to complete biometric enrolment and other required processes closer to where they live.
The arrangement also placed immigration officials directly in contact with Nigerian communities, allowing applicants to receive assistance during the exercise rather than relying entirely on conventional appointment arrangements.
The Nigeria Immigration Service played a central role in the exercise, deploying officers to the participating locations. Community representatives said the officials worked extended schedules, including weekends, to attend to applicants.
Applicants report faster delivery
One of the major issues highlighted following the intervention was the time taken by some applicants to receive their passports after completing biometric capture.
Several beneficiaries reported receiving their passports between four and seven days after their biometric enrolment. One applicant in Manitoba said her passport arrived within a week, while another beneficiary reported receiving the document four days after completing the biometric process.
These individual experiences were cited by community representatives as part of the reason for their call for another intervention.
The reported turnaround times are particularly relevant to Nigerians living abroad because passport availability can affect travel plans, identification requirements, immigration documentation and other situations where a valid Nigerian passport is required.
However, individual delivery times should not automatically be understood as a guaranteed processing period for every applicant. Processing and delivery can vary depending on the circumstances of an application and the applicable administrative procedures.
Five Canadian locations covered
The intervention covered Toronto, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatoon and Calgary.
The geographic spread was significant because Nigerians living in Canada are distributed across different provinces and cities. Bringing services to multiple locations reduced the need for some applicants to travel to a single central point.
The programme was organised through cooperation between Nigerian government institutions and Nigerian Canadian community organisations. The partnership allowed community representatives to assist with mobilisation and coordination while immigration officials handled the passport-related processes.
Community organisations subsequently acknowledged the role played by the participating government agencies in coordinating the exercise.
Call for a second phase
Following the completion of the first phase, Nigerian community leaders in Canada appealed to the Federal Government to consider another intervention.
The request is intended to provide an opportunity for Nigerians who could not participate in the first exercise to access similar services.
The appeal also reflects the continuing demand for passport services among Nigerians living abroad. Those who missed the intervention may still need to renew expired passports, replace documents or complete other passport-related processes.
A second phase, if approved, would therefore potentially extend the benefit of the multi-location approach to applicants who were unable to secure access during the first round.
The request, however, remains an appeal from community representatives. The reported completion of the first phase does not itself establish that another exercise has been approved or scheduled.
Cooperation between government and diaspora groups
The intervention also highlighted the role of cooperation between Nigerian government institutions and diaspora organisations in delivering consular services.
The Ministry of Interior, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and Nigerian High Commission worked alongside the Nigerian Canadian Association Council of Presidents and local Nigerian Canadian associations.
Such coordination allowed the exercise to operate across multiple locations rather than being limited to a single diplomatic centre.
Community representatives also recognised the role of immigration officers who travelled between locations and worked extended schedules during the programme.
The partnership model is particularly relevant to Nigerians living in countries where the population is spread across several cities. Bringing services closer to citizens can reduce the logistical burden associated with travelling long distances for government documentation.
Wider importance of passport access
A Nigerian passport is an important document for citizens travelling internationally and for Nigerians who need to establish their nationality while living abroad.
For members of the diaspora, maintaining valid travel documents can be particularly important because passport expiry or delays in obtaining replacement documents can complicate international travel and other administrative processes.
Special intervention exercises therefore provide an additional channel through which government agencies can reach citizens outside Nigeria.
The Canadian programme also comes amid broader efforts by the Nigeria Immigration Service to expand passport services for Nigerians living abroad. Earlier intervention exercises in other countries have similarly focused on bringing enrolment services closer to diaspora communities.
The wider objective is to make passport services more accessible while maintaining the identity verification and biometric requirements associated with passport issuance.
What applicants who missed the exercise should know
The completion of the Canadian intervention does not mean that Nigerians who missed it have automatically been excluded from regular passport services.
Applicants who were not part of the special exercise would need to use the applicable Nigerian passport application and renewal channels available to them.
The proposed second phase is currently a request from community leaders rather than a confirmed new exercise. Nigerians waiting for another intervention would therefore need to rely on official announcements for confirmation of any new dates, locations or registration arrangements.
This distinction is important because special intervention programmes have specific schedules and locations. Participation in a future exercise would depend on any arrangements officially announced by the responsible authorities.
A model for diaspora service delivery
The Canadian experience has also raised broader questions about how government services can be delivered to citizens outside Nigeria.
Diaspora populations are often geographically dispersed, making a single-location service model difficult for citizens who live far from diplomatic missions or major cities.
The Canadian intervention demonstrated one approach: temporarily moving specialised services to several population centres while working with local community organisations.
For applicants, the immediate benefit is reduced travel requirements. For government agencies, multi-location exercises can provide a way to reach a larger number of citizens within a defined period.
The experience could also provide useful information for planning future interventions in Canada and other countries with significant Nigerian populations.
Community appeal now awaits government response
With the first phase completed and 2,233 applicants captured, attention has now shifted to whether another intervention will be approved.
Community leaders are asking the Federal Government to consider a second phase for Nigerians who were unable to participate in the initial exercise.
The request follows reports from beneficiaries who received their passports within several days of completing biometric capture and from community representatives who praised the coordination between Nigerian government agencies and diaspora organisations.
For Nigerians who missed the exercise, the key issue will be whether the government announces another intervention and, if so, which locations and eligibility arrangements will apply.
Until such an announcement is made, the reported second phase remains a request rather than a confirmed programme.
The Canadian intervention nevertheless provides a recent example of Nigerian passport authorities taking services beyond a single location and directly into diaspora communities. Its next stage will depend on the response of the relevant government authorities to the request for an additional round of services.