Ghana Passport Services in Nigeria

Everything Ghanaians living in Nigeria need to know about applying for, renewing or replacing a Ghana biometric passport through the Ghana High Commission in Abuja.

One Mission, One Capture Point

Ghana maintains a single diplomatic mission in Nigeria — the High Commission at Plot 301, Olusegun Obasanjo Way, Area 10, Garki, Abuja. Because biometric data (fingerprints, photograph and signature) must be captured in person, every passport applicant in Nigeria eventually has to appear at this office, whether you live in the Federal Capital Territory or in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, Ibadan or Enugu. There is no consulate handling passports elsewhere in the country, so plan your journey to Abuja as part of the application. Many applicants from Lagos take a morning flight (about one hour) and aim to complete capture the same day, but confirm your slot with the mission on +234 209 461 5400 or abuja@mfa.gov.gh before booking travel.

The Application Process Step by Step

1. Pre-apply online. Ghana passport applications begin at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal, passport.mfa.gov.gh. Complete the form, upload your details and note your application reference.
2. Contact the High Commission. Arrange a date for biometric capture. The mission works Monday to Friday — confirm current hours, and ask which days consular capture runs, as this can differ from general opening hours.
3. Attend in Abuja with your documents. Bring your current or expired Ghana passport, your Ghana Card (now required for passport issuance — the mission can advise if you have not yet enrolled), your birth certificate, four passport photographs on a white background, proof of your residence in Nigeria, and the fee.
4. Wait for printing in Accra. Applications captured in Abuja are transmitted to the Passport Application Centre in Accra, where all Ghanaian passports are printed. Standard processing takes 6–8 weeks; ask the mission whether express handling is currently available.
5. Collect your passport. The mission will notify you when the new booklet arrives from Accra. Ask at submission whether courier return to your city is offered or whether you must collect in person.

Fees

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sets standard overseas passport fees at approximately $50 USD for the 32-page booklet and $75 USD for the 48-page booklet. Missions collect the equivalent in local currency or dollars, and the exact amount payable in Abuja — including whether naira payment is accepted and at what rate — varies. Confirm the current figure with the High Commission before you travel; do not pay anyone outside the mission who claims to be able to process the fee on your behalf. Passport agents and touts operate around many consular offices in Nigeria, and using them adds cost and risk without speeding anything up.

First-Time Applicants and Children Born in Nigeria

A child born in Nigeria to at least one Ghanaian parent is a Ghanaian citizen by descent and can be issued a Ghana passport. Before the passport application, the birth should be registered with the High Commission: bring the child’s Nigerian birth certificate issued by the National Population Commission (NPC), both parents’ passports, and the parents’ marriage certificate where applicable. The mission issues consular birth documentation that supports the passport file. Children must attend capture in person regardless of age, and child passports cost the same as adult passports. See our Nigeria citizenship services guide for the full birth registration procedure.

Lost or Stolen Passports in Nigeria

If your Ghana passport is lost or stolen anywhere in Nigeria, report it first at the nearest Nigeria Police Force station and obtain a police extract or report — the High Commission will ask for it. Then contact Abuja to arrange either a replacement passport (full application, 6–8 weeks) or, if you need to travel urgently to Ghana, an Emergency Travel Certificate, which can typically be issued within 24–48 hours. Our emergency services page walks through the ETC process in detail. Report the loss even if you later find the passport, as a passport reported lost may be cancelled and flagged at borders.

Travelling While You Wait

One practical advantage of living in Nigeria: because both countries belong to ECOWAS, a Ghanaian with an expired passport still has options for returning home that would not exist elsewhere. An Emergency Travel Certificate is accepted for the journey to Ghana, and ECOWAS travel documents are recognised at the land borders along the Lagos–Cotonou–Lomé–Aflao corridor. That said, airlines apply their own document checks, so do not book flights on an expired passport — get the ETC or the new booklet first.

Common Reasons Applications Stall

• No Ghana Card. Passport issuance is tied to National Identification Authority enrolment. If you have never registered, ask the mission about Ghana Card capture before or alongside your passport appointment.
• Name inconsistencies. Differences between your birth certificate, old passport and Nigerian documents (for example a marriage name used on Nigerian ID but not on Ghanaian records) need supporting documents such as a marriage certificate or statutory declaration.
• Photographs rejected. Use recent photographs on a plain white background; studios in Abuja near Area 10 are familiar with the specification.
• Peak-season delays. Demand rises before Christmas and major festivals when many Ghanaians in Nigeria travel home. Apply at least three months before any planned trip.

Official Sources

• Ghana High Commission Abuja
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ghana
• Ghana Immigration Service
• National Identification Authority (Ghana Card)
• Ghana e-Visa Portal