NIS doesn't usually run passport services outside its own centres and missions. The 2026 UK intervention exercise is the exception, a temporary push to clear a backlog for Nigerians in Britain.
Here's what it is, who it's for, and how the dates have shifted.
What the exercise is
The UK intervention exercise is a temporary, in-person passport service, run at designated UK centres rather than through a standing embassy appointment. It started on 7 Sep 2026, at centres in London and Manchester.
NIS said enrolment was strong in the exercise's first days, and that passport production and dispatch had already begun by mid-September.
Who it's open to
The exercise covers pending applications, new applicants, and passports with under a year left to run. It's aimed at Nigerians in the UK who've struggled to get a standard appointment.
You still apply and pay on the NIS portal first, exactly as you would for any other renewal or fresh application. The exercise changes where your biometrics happen, not the paperwork that comes before it.
The documents to bring
Bring a completed application form, payment slips, an appointment slip, a self-addressed return envelope and, for renewals, your current passport. NIS was explicit that applicants who arrive with cash will not be seen, since payment has to happen on the portal beforehand.
Treat this like any other biometric appointment: everything ready in advance, not sorted out in the queue. A missing slip is a harder problem to fix at a temporary venue than at a permanent NIS office.
The centres, and how the dates moved
The exercise began in London and Manchester, then extended to further UK centres. The end date has moved more than once since it started.
Nairametrics reported on 26 Sep 2026 that NIS extended the exercise, first to early October, then through to 30 Oct 2026. We couldn't confirm that exact date on the NIS website itself, so confirm current dates and venues with NIS or the Nigeria High Commission before you travel to a centre.
What to do if you're not in the UK
This exercise is specific to the UK backlog. If you're elsewhere abroad, it doesn't apply to you directly.
Nigerians in other countries should use the standard diaspora route, or the contactless app where they qualify for it.
Common mistakes
- Turning up with cash, expecting to pay on the day.
- Assuming the exercise covers every UK city rather than designated centres.
- Relying on an old end date instead of checking current NIS or High Commission notices.
A vetted partner firm can help with the paperwork for a renewal or replacement passport application; a new applicant at the exercise submits that first application directly, and attending itself needs you there in person either way.