Nigerian Embassy in Qatar cuts passport processing to two weeks - Punch Newspapers
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Qatar, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu,
The Nigerian Embassy in Qatar has reduced the turnaround time for passport renewals and issuances to about two weeks, following a 10-day passport intervention exercise in Doha. The intervention, conducted between August 11 and 21, 2026, enabled the embassy to process passport applications for 751 Nigerian nationals, according to a statement by the mission issued on Monday. The applications comprised 441 requests for five-year passports and 310 applications for 10-year passports. The embassy said distribution of the completed passports commenced on September 18, less than a month after the biometric capture phase ended, allowing applicants to receive their travel documents earlier than typical diplomatic processing cycles. Nigeria’s Ambassador to Qatar, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, described the development as a major milestone in the mission’s consular services.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google “The fact that passports are now being completed and returned within about two weeks of capture demonstrates our commitment to improving service delivery and responding to the needs of our community”, Yakubu told reporters. He added that the mission recognises the importance of valid passports to Nigerians living in Qatar, particularly for international travel, employment and residency status. The embassy said the faster processing initiative was introduced amid rising demand for consular services from Nigeria’s growing expatriate population in the Gulf state. NIS enrols 8,552 Nigerians in passport intervention Nigerian engineer bags US fellowship NiDCOM defends claim about Nigerian detained in India for visa overstay He added that the intervention was designed to address passport applications within a dedicated period, with the embassy subsequently commencing distribution of the produced documents less than one month after biometric capture. The statement also said the development is expected to ease the waiting period for Nigerians in Qatar seeking to renew or obtain passports, particularly those whose travel, employment or residency arrangements depend on valid travel documents. The mission’s intervention also highlights the role of diplomatic missions in providing essential consular services to Nigerians abroad, including passport issuance and renewal. With 751 applications processed during the 10-day exercise, the embassy said the accelerated production and distribution process had enabled beneficiaries to obtain their passports significantly earlier than would ordinarily be expected under conventional diplomatic processing cycles. The mission’s latest effort comes as Nigerian diplomatic missions continue to respond to the consular needs of citizens living outside the country, with passport services remaining one of the key areas of interaction between Nigerians abroad and their embassies. For applicants who participated in the Doha intervention exercise, distribution of the completed passports began on September 18, marking the final stage of the process after biometric capture. The embassy said the development reflects its focus on improving the delivery of consular services to Nigerians resident in Qatar. Nathaniel Shaibu Nathaniel Shaibu is a correspondent at The PUNCH with three years of professional journalism experience. He covers the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), civil society, religion, and the Ministries of Women Affairs and Youth Development. In addition to his primary beats, Nathaniel also reports on politics, metro, security, and judicial matters, bringing clarity and balance to a wide range of public-interest stories. His work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, strong beat knowledge, and a commitment to accurate, responsible journalism.
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