Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly condemned the sudden increase in the cost of obtaining an international passport in Nigeria, describing it as insensitive and a clear reflection of the government’s disconnect from the suffering masses.
Obi, in a statement on Friday, lamented that this is the third increase in passport fees in just two years, a move he said has further burdened Nigerians already grappling with economic hardship.
“The obsession of this administration with putting a burden on the populace is becoming legendary and continues to reveal its apparent disconnect with the people and their suffering,” Obi declared.
Under the new pricing, a 32-page international passport will now cost ₦100,000, while the 64-page booklet has jumped to ₦200,000. The former Anambra governor pointed out the irony of such a hike in a country where the recently approved minimum wage stands at ₦70,000.
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“In a country where the new minimum wage is only ₦70,000, the cost of a single passport now exceeds a worker’s monthly salary. Nigeria is probably the only country in the world to achieve this feat. Instead of making life easier, this government keeps shifting the burden onto ordinary Nigerians. It is alarming that the price of the international passport is higher than what workers earn in a month,” Obi added.
The development has triggered widespread public outcry across social media and civic groups, with many echoing Obi’s concerns that the increase is unfair and exploitative at a time when inflation, unemployment, and the cost of living are already pushing citizens to the brink.
Obi’s criticism comes as Nigerians continue to mount pressure for the reversal of the passport fee hike before it further compounds the economic pressure on households nationwide.
