Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, has criticized the federal government for exacerbating the challenges faced by ordinary Nigerians following the recent increase in international passport fees.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced a significant price hike, raising the cost of a 32-page passport booklet to N100,000 and the 64-page booklet to N200,000.

In a statement posted on his X page, Obi expressed outrage over the new fees, describing them as unreasonable given the current economic situation in the country. “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 the suffering,” he stated.

Obi pointed out that the latest fees mark the third increase in just two years, highlighting the stark contrast to the new minimum wage of N70,000. “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, probably the only country in the world to achieve this feat,” he remarked.

He further noted that instead of alleviating hardships, the government continues to shift burdens onto the citizens. “It is alarming that the price of the international passport is higher than what workers earn in a month,” he added.

This price adjustment comes less than a year after a similar increase, with passport fees raised in August 2024 from N35,000 to N50,000 for the 32-page booklet and from N70,000 to N100,000 for the 64-page booklet.