Former Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has condemned the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government for increasing the cost of obtaining a Nigerian passport, describing the move as another heavy burden on already struggling citizens.
In a post on his X handle Thursday night, the former Anambra State governor expressed shock that the price of a 32-page international passport has been pegged at ₦100,000, while the 64-page option now goes for ₦200,000.
Obi noted that with the recently approved minimum wage of ₦70,000, the cost of the passport now surpasses what an average Nigerian worker earns in a month — a situation he described as alarming and unprecedented.
“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 their suffering,” Obi stated.
He further lamented that this would be the third increase in just two years, stressing that instead of easing hardship, the government continues to shift the weight of its policies onto the masses.
“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.
Instead of making life easier, this government keeps shifting the burden onto ordinary Nigerians. It is alarming that the price of the international passport is higher than what workers earn in a month,” he wrote.
