Interior Minister Clears 200,000 Passport Backlogs, Pays ₦28bn Debt Without Extra Funding

Interior Minister Clears 200,000 Passport Backlogs, Pays ₦28bn Debt Without Extra Funding

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Monday announced that his ministry has cleared over 200,000 unprocessed passport applications and paid ₦28 billion in longstanding debts—all without receiving extra funding from the Federal Government.

The Minister made this revelation during the Access Bank Guest Lecture Series held in Lagos, where he spoke on the topic, “Dare to Dream, Dare to Innovate.”

Smart Leadership & Innovation
In his keynote address, Tunji-Ojo emphasized the power of purpose-driven leadership, innovation, and smart use of technology in solving systemic problems.

“Leadership is not about reacting to problems. It is about foreseeing and solving them before they occur,” he stated.

He highlighted several reforms initiated by his ministry, including:

Launch of contactless passport renewal platforms for Nigerians abroad

Introduction of a new e-visa system

Advanced passenger tracking systems to bolster national security

Prison Reform Agenda
Tunji-Ojo also spotlighted the dire state of Nigeria’s correctional facilities, noting that over 4,000 inmates remain incarcerated for failure to pay fines as low as ₦50,000.

“This is not a legal crisis—it is a moral one. A society that punishes poverty more than crime has lost its moral compass,” he declared.

To address this, the ministry is:

Working with private donors to pay fines for non-violent inmates

Implementing digital case tracking systems

Offering vocational training within correctional centers

Partnering with organizations to improve prison infrastructure and dignity

“A correctional facility must correct, not condemn. Justice without dignity is injustice in disguise,” the Minister added.

Commendation from Access Holdings
Chairman of Access Holdings, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, praised the Minister’s efforts, saying:

“Innovation is not about big budgets—it’s about big thinking.”

He added that Tunji-Ojo exemplifies what real public service should be.

A Call to National Purpose
In his closing remarks, Tunji-Ojo called on Nigerians and institutions to pursue excellence with purpose:

“Let Access Bank not just be a financial institution—let it be a philosophy. Let Nigeria not just be a country of potential—let it be a nation of performance.”

The event drew a wide audience of business leaders, government officials, and innovators and formed part of Access Bank’s campaign to inspire transformational leadership across sectors.

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