By Adenike Lawal
Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has disclosed that the Federal Government has successfully cleared over 200,000 pending passport applications and paid off ₦28 billion in inherited debts-all achieved without any additional financial support from the national budget.
Tunji-Ojo made this revelation during a keynote address at the Access Bank Guest Lecture Series in Lagos, where he spoke on the theme, “Dare to Dream, Dare to Innovate.”
According to the Minister, the sweeping reforms were made possible through a deliberate embrace of technology, strategic planning, and leadership driven by foresight rather than reaction.
“Real leadership is about anticipating problems and designing solutions before they become crises,” he told the audience of policymakers, business leaders, and technocrats, adding that “Every leader must constantly ask: What is the purpose? What’s the strategy? And when is the right time to act?”
Tunji-Ojo outlined several technological initiatives introduced under his tenure, including the deployment of an e-visa system, contactless passport renewal services for Nigerians in the diaspora, and upgraded passenger surveillance protocols.
These innovations, he said, have not only improved efficiency but also restored public confidence in the passport issuance process.
Addressing challenges within Nigeria’s correctional system, Tunji-Ojo described the current state of the nation’s prisons as “deeply troubling.”
He emphasized that over 4,000 inmates are languishing in detention simply because they cannot afford fines as low as ₦50,000.
“This is more than a legal issue it’s a moral indictment. A society that criminalizes poverty more harshly than actual crime has lost its ethical direction,” he stated.
To address the injustice, the ministry is collaborating with private donors to secure the release of these non-violent offenders and is pushing forward reforms centered on rehabilitation over punishment.
Among the reforms are plans for digital case tracking systems, vocational training within prisons, and public-private partnerships aimed at improving living conditions for inmates.
“A correctional facility should serve to correct, not to condemn,” Tunji-Ojo added. “There can be no justice without dignity-otherwise, what we call justice is merely oppression in disguise.”
The event also saw praise from Access Holdings Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, who commended the Minister for redefining what public service can look like.
“Innovation isn’t about having more money it’s about thinking bigger,” he said.
The lecture was part of Access Bank’s broader effort to inspire systemic change in Nigeria through dialogue on leadership, service, and national development.
Closing his remarks, Tunji-Ojo urged Nigerians to strive for purposeful living and collective progress.
“Let Access Bank symbolize more than finance let it stand for a philosophy. And let Nigeria move beyond being a country of untapped potential to a nation known for measurable performance. It’s time we refined our genius instead of simply exporting it,” he said.
