The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) issued the highest number of passport booklets totalling 1,899,683 in over seven years, the Nigerian government has said.
It was also learnt that at least 150 Nigerians renounced their citizenship between 2006 to 2021, while 159 Nigerians renounced their citizenship in 2022.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made this known on Thursday at the 64th session of the State House Ministerial briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Aso Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Minister said the massive exodus of Nigerians out of the country in search of greener pastures influenced high demands for passports.
The minister, who said the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) processed and issued at least 9.31 million passports from 2015 to 2022, added that the agency processed over 1.8 million passports in 2022 alone.
“The breakdown showed that in 2015, 2016 and 2017, the service processed and issued 941,995, 1,035,668 and 1,136,855 passports, respectively.
“In 2018, 2019 and 2020, it processed 1,242,953 and 780,047 passports respectively.
While 1,056,422 and 1,899,683 passports were processed and issued in 2021 and 2022, respectively,” the Minister added.
However, the Permanent Secretary of Ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore during the event said, no fewer than 159 Nigerians renounced their citizenship in 2022 alone.
Meanwhile, Aregbesola explained that properties worth N3.19tn were lost to various fire incidents nationwide between 2015 and 2022. Saying this included N46.1bn lost to fires in 2022.
“A breakdown of details from the federal fire service showed that in 2015, 2016 and 2017, properties worth N15.7bn, N1.65bn and N5.18bn were lost in fire incidents.
“In 2018, 2019 and 2020, Nigerians lost N26.71bn, N16.46bn and N32.12bn respectively to fires, while N3.05bn and N46bn were lost in 2021 and 2022, respectively.”
“Valuables worth N25.32tn were salvaged from various fire incidents nationwide. The breakdown included: N57.50bn (2015), N16.6bn (2016), N426.5bn (2017), N2.84tn (2018), N1.18tn (2019), N1.35tn (2020), N18.99tn (2021) and N448.4bn (2022).
“The number of people saved from fire accidents stood at 2,244 while 366 persons died within the same period,” he said.