Southern Women Forum to FG: Stop Policies That Impoverish Citizens

 

The Southern Women Empowerment Forum (SWEF), a national body committed to promoting the welfare and empowerment of women across Southern Nigeria, wishes to express its deep concern over the recent decision by the Nigeria Immigration Service to increase the cost of obtaining international passports to ₦100,000 for the 32-page booklet and ₦200,000 for the 64-page booklet, effective September 1, 2025.

While we acknowledge the government’s intention to enhance service delivery and maintain the integrity of the passport system, this astronomical increase is coming at a time when the economic reality of the average Nigerian, especially women, is becoming more challenging due to inflation, rising costs of goods and services, and limited income opportunities.

 Doubling the passport fee in such a short time span places an unbearable burden on many citizens, particularly women who strive daily to sustain their families, engage in small-scale businesses, and pursue educational or professional opportunities that often require international mobility.

The Southern Women Empowerment Forum is particularly concerned because this policy disproportionately affects women in the South and other parts of the country who earn modest incomes. 

For many, acquiring a passport is not a luxury but a necessity be it for seeking medical care abroad, educational advancement, business transactions, or reuniting with family members. Making passports unaffordable denies these women access to opportunities that could uplift their socio-economic status and contribute to national development.

While the government has cited the need to improve passport security features and service quality as justification for this increment, we believe these objectives can still be achieved without imposing such a heavy financial burden on citizens. We therefore call on the Federal Government to reconsider this decision and explore alternative measures that will strike a balance between service improvement and affordability. 

Some possible options include introducing a phased implementation plan, providing subsidized rates for students, low-income earners, and vulnerable groups, and ensuring that any additional revenue generated is transparently utilized to improve processing speed and reduce bottlenecks.

As a national body representing the voices of thousands of women, we urge the government to take into account the economic realities of its citizens before implementing policies that could further impoverish families. The Southern Women Empowerment Forum remains committed to constructive dialogue and collaboration with relevant authorities to ensure that policy decisions reflect fairness, inclusivity, and social justice.

We therefore appeal to the Federal Government to review the new passport fee structure urgently and adopt a more citizen-friendly approach that will not hinder Nigerians, especially women, from accessing essential travel documents.

Signed,

Hon. Dr. Helen Taiwo Adebakin

National President

Southern Women Empowerment Forum