Nigerians to Apply for and Receive Passports From Home Starting in March

The federal government announced today it will start allowing full contactless passport applications and courier delivery services beginning in March. The initiative aims to simplify and expedite passport issuance across the country.

According to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, applicants will soon be able to complete the passport application process entirely online without visiting any offices. Approved passports will then be delivered securely to the applicant's chosen address via courier.

The contactless application system will enable Nigerians to apply for standard passports from anywhere using their phones, computers or other devices. Biometric and personal data will be captured electronically.

Once approved, the immigration service will print and deliver the passport using dedicated courier providers. Applicants can track the production and delivery status online.

The government hopes streamlining the application process will reduce congestion at passport offices while making the travel document more accessible to all citizens.

The new contactless application and courier delivery system will launch in March 2024 following completion of necessary upgrades to infrastructure and technology systems.

Additional application centers are being established across the country to support the initiative and process higher passport demand.

"We are modernizing the passport application process to make it seamless for all Nigerians," said MinisterOlubunmi Tunji-Ojo. "The full digitization and courier delivery will make applying for a Nigerian passport stress-free."

JAMB Activates Profile Codes for 2024 UTME Registration

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that registration for the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is now open. Candidates can generate their profile codes, which is the first step in the JAMB registration process. 

According to JAMB's Head of Public Affairs, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the registration portal opened at midnight on January 8, 2024. Once candidates have their profile codes, they can proceed to accredited centers to complete their registration. The deadline for registration is February 28, 2024. 

The profile code generation and registration process has been decentralized by JAMB to reduce overcrowding at cybercafes and CBT centers. Candidates are advised to generate their profile codes with their National Identification Number (NIN) from any location using their mobile networks. 

The minimum acceptable score in the 2024 UTME remains 200 marks. Dr. Benjamin reiterated JAMB's commitment to ensuring the UTME is seamlessly conducted, with adequate monitoring to check examination malpractices. The 2024 UTME is scheduled to hold from March 9-16, 2024.

Candidates are advised to complete their registrations on time to avoid last-minute rush and technical hitches. The JAMB helplines will be open to attend to inquiries and complaints from candidates.  

The UTME is a prerequisite exam for admission into Nigeria's tertiary institutions. Over 1.5 million candidates are expected to sit for the 2024 UTME.