Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Nigerian embassy in Qatar has recorded a major reduction in processing time for passport renewals and issuances, returning newly produced travel documents to applicants in around two weeks.
The improvement followed a dedicated passport intervention exercise conducted in Doha between 11 and 21 August 2026.
The Nigerian Ambassador to Qatar, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, in a statement issued Monday, said during the 10-day drive, embassy staff processed applications for 751 Nigerian nationals, including 441 requests for five-year passports and 310 for 10-year passports.
He noted: “Distribution of the completed passports began on 18 September—less than a month after the biometric capture phase ended—allowing applicants to receive their documents far earlier than typical diplomatic processing cycles.”
Yakubu described the rapid turnaround as a major milestone for the mission’s consular services.
He stressed that the mission recognises how critical valid passports are for international travel, employment, and residency status for citizens living abroad.
According to him, “The fact that passports are now being completed and returned within about two weeks of capture demonstrates our commitment to improving service delivery and responding to the needs of our community.”
The faster processing initiative comes amid rising demand for consular support among the growing Nigerian expatriate population in the Gulf state.
Meanwhile, a Doha-based humanitarian organization, Qatar Charity, has expanded its field office in Abuja to scale up major development and social welfare initiatives across Nigeria, including an ongoing $10m integrated housing project in the capital.
The strategic expansion was outlined during a courtesy visit by Yakubu to Qatar Charity’s headquarters in Doha, where he held formal talks with the Executive Vice-President and Global Programmes Officer, Nawaf Abdullah Al-Hammadi.
The meeting focused on expanding Qatar Charity’s long-term development footprint in Nigeria, with an emphasis on sustainable interventions over short-term relief.
Central to these efforts is the Gaduwa housing development in Abuja, which integrates residential units alongside an on-site health clinic and school.
Welcoming the initiative, Yakubu confirmed the Nigerian Embassy’s commitment to facilitating diplomatic clearance and inter-agency coordination to help replicate the integrated development model in other regions.
Yakubu noted: “Qatar Charity has demonstrated a genuine and practical commitment to the well-being of Nigerian communities.
“Housing alone is not enough; access to basic healthcare and education must go hand in hand. We see this partnership as contributing not only to development outcomes on the ground but also to the wider framework of Qatar–Nigeria relations.”
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