Nigeria, July 5 -- For many Nigerians living abroad, renewing a Nigerian passport was once a task dreaded almost as much as losing the passport itself.

It was a process associated with long waits, expensive journeys, uncertainty and frustration. Many accepted it as one of those realities of dealing with government services back home. The expectation was simple: prepare for delays, inconvenience and endless follow-ups.

That was why I was initially sceptical when I began hearing claims that Nigerians in the United Kingdom could now renew their passports from home and receive them at their doorsteps within days.

It sounded too good to be true.

So I travelled across several cities in the UK and spoke with Nigerians who had firsthand exper...