Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo
Minister of Interior
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Abuja, FCT
January 15, 2025

RE: LACK OF RESPONSE TO OUR APPEAL FOR PASSPORT PRINTERS AT THE NEW YORK AND ATLANTA CONSULATES

Dear Honourable Minister,

It is with a deep sense of disappointment that we write this letter on behalf of the Organization for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN, Inc.), New York, and its partner organizations. One year ago, we submitted a letter to your office, highlighting the urgent deployment of passport printers to the Nigerian Consulates in New York and Atlanta. We expressed concerns about the heavy burden placed on the New York Consulate, the inefficiencies caused by centralized passport printing in Washington, D.C., and the security risks posed by immigration officers traveling to Washington monthly to print passports.

To our dismay, we have neither received a formal response from your office nor witnessed any tangible action taken to address the issues raised in that letter.
The silence from your office is both concerning and disheartening. It suggests a disregard for the plight of thousands of Nigerians living in the United States who continue to face undue stress and frustration in accessing consular services. Your office’s failure to act on our recommendations has left many Nigerians stranded without valid passports, unable to travel for emergencies, work, or family commitments. The lack of passport printers in New York and Atlanta continues to cause unnecessary delays, creating a bottleneck that is entirely avoidable with the right infrastructure in place.

What is even more disheartening is the discovery that there are two passport printers currently domiciled at the Mission in Washington, D.C., one of which has remained idle. We find it utterly reprehensible that this idle printer is unused for such an absurd and indefensible reason: It was alleged that the former Minister of Interior and Comptroller General of Immigration believed that assigning this printer to either New York or Atlanta could provoke dissatisfaction in the other Mission.

This reasoning, frankly, defies logic and smacks of a gross lack of informed and strategic decision-making. Instead of deploying the printer where it could alleviate suffering, boost efficiency, and reduce costs, Immigration officers from New York and Atlanta are compelled to travel to Washington, D.C., incurring unnecessary expenses, exposing themselves to travel risks, and jeopardizing Nigeria’s national data security. Such an excuse for inaction is not only lame but utterly unacceptable.

We must remind your office, Mr. Minister, that the New York Consulate serves the largest jurisdiction in the United States, covering multiple states with a high concentration of Nigerian citizens. It is unacceptable that, in 2025, Nigerians living in this region still have to endure significant delays and travel burdens simply to obtain passports.

Honorable Minister, the consequences of your office’s inaction on this matter could be severe.

• Increased public frustration: The growing dissatisfaction among Nigerians in the U.S. is palpable. Many are losing confidence in the ability of the Nigerian government to provide basic consular services. This erosion of trust could have lasting impacts on the relationship between Nigerians in the diaspora and their home country. If left unaddressed, it could lead to another 2022 unfortunate aggression towards our fellow citizens at our consulates.

• National security risks: As we highlighted in our previous letter, sending immigration officers to Washington, D.C. monthly to print passports exposes Nigeria’s national database to potential security breaches. This is a risk that can be mitigated by establishing passport printers in New York and Atlanta.

• Negative impact on Nigeria’s image abroad: The inefficiencies and delays in passport processing tarnish Nigeria’s reputation. It sends a message that the government is unwilling or unable to prioritize the needs of its citizens living abroad.

Honorable Minister, we request the following immediate corrective actions from your office:

. The idle printer in Washington, D.C., should be redeployed to New York immediately, while additional printer should be deployed to Atlanta without any further delay.

. A transparent investigation should be conducted to identify and hold accountable those responsible for this gross lapse in judgment.

. Your office should demonstrate genuine urgency and commitment by providing a clear timeline for resolving this matter.

The neglect and excuses must stop. Nigerians in the U.S. are deeply patriotic, law-abiding and hardworking individuals who deserve nothing short of excellence in service delivery. We urge you to act decisively to restore confidence in your ministry’s capacity to meet their needs.

We urge your office to act swiftly to rectify this situation. The immediate deployment of passport printers to the New York and Atlanta Consulates will greatly alleviate the hardship Nigerians in the U.S. are currently experiencing. It will also demonstrate that the Nigerian government values its citizens abroad and is committed to supporting them.

As community leaders, we remain committed to working with your office to ensure the efficient delivery of consular services. However, we need to see a genuine commitment and urgency from your ministry to address this issue. Nigerians in the U.S. deserve better.

We respectfully request that you acknowledge this letter and provide us with an update on any actions being taken to resolve the passport production issues at the New York and Atlanta Consulates and clear timeline for resolving this matter. We remain hopeful that this matter will be treated with the urgency it deserves.

About the OAN
The Organization for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN) is a non-profit organization committed to promoting the welfare, culture, and interests of Nigerians living in the United States. With a mission to foster unity and provide support to the Nigerian community, OAN strives to address challenges and celebrate the achievements of Nigerians in the diaspora.

For further information and assistance, you can contact OAN through our website at www.oanweb.org

Signed:

Olutomi Aregbesola
President, OAN
For: The OAN and Partner Organizations:

Association of Nigerian Physicians in America (NY/NJ).
Igbo Organization
Egbe Olumo Progressive Organization
Nigerian Lawyers Association, USA
Nigerian-American Muslims Integrated Communities
Christ Apostolic Church, First in the Americas
Nigerian Independence Day Committee
Akwa Ibom State Association, NY
Nigerian Nurses Association
Regional Council of Nigerian Muslims
Celestial Church of Christ
Organization for the Advancement of Nigerians
Cherubim and Seraphim Church Movement
Nurudeen Islamic Charity Organization
Zumunta Association USA, Inc.
Your Black Matters, Inc
Absolute Faith in Jesus Christ International Church
Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO) – New Jersey
Under Da Rock and Big Moose Entertainments
Eko club International

CC: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
       Vice President Kashim Shettima
       Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff  to the President
       Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs