01/07/2025
Her Passport Application Form Was Used To Sell Akara
Despite Applying Online, Corps Member's Passport Slip Ends Up at Akara Stand.
On June 21, Oluwadamisi Awe, an Oyo-based corps member, was scrolling through WhatsApp when she received a strange text.
The stranger was someone she had never met, yet he knew her in ways she would never expect.
Awe told FIJ that the stranger had texted her on WhatsApp, showing her how her Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) application slip had been used to sell Akara, a popular Nigerian street snack.
She said that she was surprised at this because she had applied for her passport online without making any contact with an agent. Yet, somehow, her application slip was printed and managed to get into the wrong hands.
“I found out on June 21 after a stranger texted me on WhatsApp detailing how the application slip was used to package a meal he got from a street vendor,” she told FIJ.
“I applied directly through the NIS website and filled out all my information without the help of any agent.
“I got proof of payment from the website and wasn’t in contact with any immigration staff. This made me believe the process was straightforward and secure.”
Awe said the document contained sensitive details, and she had no idea how many people might have it.
“The slip included my name, date of birth, email, National Identification Number (NIN), home address and other next-of-kin contact information. At the moment, I am not sure about it being circulated to other people, except for the actual guy who texted me about the slip being in his possession,” she explained.
In response to the breach, the NIS claimed that it takes data privacy seriously and keeps applicants’ information safe. It said that data leaks often happen when people use agents or cafés to apply for passports.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service holds data privacy and protection in the highest regard. We utilise robust systems and protocols to safeguard and ensure that personal information submitted through official channels remains confidential and secure,” the NIS said in its response.
“However, breaches of this nature are often linked to the involvement of unauthorised third parties such as business cafes or touts during the passport application process. We strongly advise all applicants to apply directly and exclusively via the NIS official portal.”
Hello Oluwadamisi,
The Nigeria Immigration Service holds data privacy and protection in the highest regard. We utilize robust systems and protocols to safeguard and ensure that personal information submitted through official channels remains confidential and secure.
However,…
— Nigeria Immigration Service () June 24, 2025
Awe did not apply through any vendor and was also particular about picking up the documents she had printed.
“Like I said, the online application process was seamless and I didn’t expect to have to print out the application slip on getting to the office, I was told to print out the slip with the vendors at the entrance of the office on doing this I was deliberately tidy with picking up all the documents I had printed,” Awe said.
Israel Olatunji Tijani, a data governance expert, told FIJ that leaks like this would continue if the NIS does not automate its passport application.
He said that the service should create a system that eliminates the need for hard copies or have a supervised café managed by the NIS.
The NIS should also caution or regulate the printing vendors that are associated with them and sensitise them on the importance of data safety.
“The NIS should create a system that removes the need for hard copy printouts. Let there be a café managed and supervised by the NIS, and send the external vendors away,” Tijani told FIJ.
“Make the process fully automated, maybe through a barcode or something similar. They always insist on hard copies, and that’s how these leaks happen. Generate a QR code for what you’ve done, take it there, and show it to them. They should limit paperwork because hard copies still leak.”
