Immigration boss, Muhammad Babandede
disclosed that by 2018, the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Ltd.
would begin local production of the e-passports. The Nigerian e-passports are
currently being manufactured by a Malaysian company, via its subsidiary in
Nigeria. According to Babandede, jobs would be created, critical data would be
secured, and cost would be reduced, when local production begins Muhammad
Babandede, the comptroller-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has
stated that from 2018, the Nigerian e-passport will be produced within the
country.
According to reports, the
immigration boss made his comments during an oversight visit by members of the
House of Reps. Committee on Interior, on Thursday July 13.
NAIJ.com gathers that Babandede said
local production of the passports would be achieved by the Nigerian Security
Printing and Minting Company Ltd. in 2018; and the immigration service was
working very hard towards that. A Malaysian firm, Iris Corporation currently
manufactures the Nigerian e-passport via its subsidiary in Nigeria, Iris Smart
Technology Nigeria Ltd. When local production begins, Babandede disclosed that
cost would be reduced, more jobs would be created for Nigerians, and critical
data base would be secured.
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously
reported that the Senate invited the attorney general of the federation and
minister of justice Abubakar Malami; accountant general of the federation Ahmed
Idris; minister of interior Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.); and four
private companies to appear before it and explain a multi-billion naira
e-passport production deal. Also invited were four companies engaged by the
Nigeria Immigration Service in a public private partnership arrangement over
the years.
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