As part of efforts to ensure availability of the Nigerian e-passport, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday 11th July 2019 cancelled all e-passport printing contracts abroad. The job will now rest on the oars of the Nigerian Security Printing & Minting Company (NSPMC).
Making the disclosure, Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity noted that the new directive means all existing contracts concerning printing passports and other documents will not be renewed.
The NSPMC popularly known as the Mint was established in 1963 and was saddled with the responsibility of printing the nation’s currency and security documents for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, banks and other blue-chip companies.
At inception, the Mint was the largest banknote and security documents specialist printing company in West Africa until its performance dwindled. However, after the appointment of Mr Godwin Emefiele as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), he sets new targets for the company including zero importation of currency which has been achieved since 2014.