Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticized the Federal Government following the recent hike in passport issuance fees.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Thursday, August 28, announced that the cost of a 32-page passport booklet has been increased to ₦100,000, while the 64-page booklet will now cost ₦200,000.

Reacting on social media, Obi expressed concern that the government’s policies were worsening the economic hardship faced by Nigerians rather than easing their struggles.

He wrote:

“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 the suffering.

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. This is the third increase in just two years.”

Obi stressed that it was unacceptable for international passport fees to be higher than what an average Nigerian worker earns in a month, calling it a clear sign of misplaced priorities.

His comments have since sparked widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians lamenting that the rising costs of essential services are pushing ordinary citizens deeper into hardship.