Nigerians residing in the United States are growing increasingly frustrated with the Nigerian Ministry of Interior, citing ongoing delays and inefficiencies in consular services.

The dissatisfaction was voiced in a letter addressed to Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Nigeria’s minister of interior, and signed by Olutomi Aregbesola, president of the Organization for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN), along with representatives from 20 other Nigerian organisations.

The letter, dated January 15, 2025, outlines critical concerns over passport processing delays and the urgent need for passport printers at Nigerian consulates in New York and Atlanta.

Aregbesola explained that one year ago, OAN and its partners had submitted a similar request, urging the ministry to set up passport printers at the consulates to ease the burden on the already overworked New York office, which serves the largest jurisdiction in the U.S.

“We continue to face undue stress and frustration in accessing consular services.

“The current centralized passport printing system in Washington, D.C., is causing severe delays and creating unnecessary bottlenecks that could be easily addressed”, the letter read.

The letter highlighted how the existing arrangement, which requires consular staff to travel to Washington monthly to print passports, presents security risks and places a heavy workload on the New York Consulate.

Many Nigerians, the letter states, are left stranded without valid passports, unable to attend to personal or work emergencies.

Aregbesola expressed concern over the lack of formal response from the ministry, describing it as disheartening and indicative of a disregard for the needs of Nigerians in the diaspora.

“We have not received any action or acknowledgment from your office, this inaction is eroding public trust and could potentially lead to greater dissatisfaction, echoing the tensions experienced at Nigerian consulates in 2022”, he wrote.

The letter also touches on national security risks, pointing out the vulnerability of Nigeria’s national database to potential breaches under the current system.

“It is unacceptable that in 2025, Nigerians still face delays and travel burdens simply to obtain passports,” Aregbesola stated.

“This call for action is not isolated; it represents the frustrations of several Nigerian community groups, including the Igbo Organization, Nigerian Lawyers Association, and Nigerian Nurses Association, all of which are pushing for immediate improvements to consular services”, it stated.

The letter also noted that with a request for an urgent response, urging the Minister to prioritize the deployment of passport printers to the New York and Atlanta consulates and to provide an update on any steps being taken to address the ongoing issues.

“As community leaders, we remain committed to working with your office,” However, Nigerians in the U.S. deserve better, and we need to see genuine action on this matter”, Aregbesola wrote.