Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has disclosed that the Federal Government has cleared over 200,000 unprocessed passport applications since he assumed office.
According to Tunji-Ojo, they have also cleared ₦28 billion in old debts, all without extra funding from the government.
He made these announcements during the Access Bank Guest Lecture Series held in Lagos on Monday. He spoke on the topic, “Dare to Dream, Dare to Innovate,” and called for bold leadership, system reform, and the smart use of technology.
“Leadership is not about reacting to problems, it is about foreseeing and solving them before they occur. And for that, you must always ask: What is your purpose? How will you execute it? And when is the right time to act?” he said.
He explained how his ministry used innovation, technology, and planning to clear passport backlogs and debts. New systems like e-visa platforms, contactless passport renewals for Nigerians abroad, and advanced passenger tracking have been launched.
Speaking about Nigeria’s prisons, Tunji-Ojo said the correctional system is in bad shape.
He pointed out that more than 4,000 inmates are behind bars simply because they can’t pay fines as low as ₦50,000.
