Nigerians in UK seek permanent passport office in Manchester

Nigerians in Northern England have called on the Federal Government to establish a permanent passport and consular service in Manchester after the city recorded 1,709 passport enrolments in the first six days of a recent intervention, nearly three times London’s 587.

The Nigerian Community Greater Manchester said the figures, released by the Nigeria Immigration Service on September 14, showed the demand for passport services outside the Nigerian High Commission in London and the difficulties faced by Nigerians who travel long distances to access them.

The community’s chairman, Abayomi Bashiru-Kaka, made the call at the organisation’s celebration of Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary in Manchester on Saturday, October 10.In a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Joy Adetona, the group said the intervention had eased access to passport services but argued that temporary exercises were insufficient to meet the needs of Nigerians living across Northern England.

Residents of Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford and Newcastle often have to travel to London for consular services, incurring additional transport costs and time away from work, the group said.

It identified families, elderly Nigerians, students and working professionals as particularly affected by the arrangement.

Bashiru-Kaka urged the Nigerian High Commission in London, the NIS and other relevant authorities to establish a regular service in Northern England, with Manchester serving as a regional base.

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He cited the city’s accessibility, established Nigerian community networks and the volume of applications recorded during the intervention as reasons for making it a permanent service location.

The passport intervention covered Manchester, London, Cardiff and Aberdeen, with the initial phase beginning in Manchester and London.

Bashiru-Kaka commended the Federal Government, the Nigerian High Commission and the NIS for organising the exercise, particularly the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap.

He said more accessible government services would also strengthen relations between Nigeria and its citizens abroad, whose contributions include family support, investment, professional expertise and community development.

The community pledged to continue engaging Nigerian authorities and institutions in the UK to improve access to consular services and called for timely announcements and clear application guidelines for future exercises.