The Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said Monday that the significant reforms, innovations and tangible achievements recorded by the ministry and its agencies were as s result of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ideological leadership.
The minister said when received letter of nomination for Blueprint Newspapers award scheduled to take place on July 22, 2025, presented to him by the Chairperson of the Editorial Board Ms Zainab Suleiman Okino.
He said the Nigeria Immigration Service’s e-visa and e-gates were made possible as a result of the president’s purposeful leadership.
“Mr President has shown that he is a president of Nigerians in Nigeria and Nigerians in the Diaspora. The contactless passport application has made life easier for Nigerians seeking renewal of their passports.
“The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) offers a contactless passport application system for renewing passports which allowing applicants to complete the process online without visiting NIS office. The system is designed to streamline the renewal process, making it easier for Nigerians in the diaspora and elsewhere to renew their passports. The application process involves using the NIS Mobile App or the NIS website to complete the application and biometric capture.
“You can also apply for e-visa and get it within 24 hours. Visa is an economic enabler. It is an economic enhancer as is seen in places like Dubai, Singapore, Qatar and Kenya. E-visa is alive in Nigeria. It enhances our economic activities,” he said.
The minister said President Tinubu leads ideologically and provides effective and dynamic solutions to the myriad problems facing the country.
“President Tinubu leads ideologically. The leadership of Mr President has ushered in significant reforms that have greatly improved security, governance and public service delivery in our nation,” he said.
He said the ministry has cleared a backlog of over 204,000 passport applications and addressed 2.5 million National Identification Number (NIN) modification backlogs.
He said the ministry has introduced eGates at major international airports, launched user-friendly e-platforms for visa and passport processing, and established a state-of-the-art Data Centre and Command and Control Centre at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters.
The minister said the ministry has also pearheaded the rehabilitation and refurbishment of correctional centres, released over 4,000 inmates through CSR initiatives, and set up skill acquisition factories for inmates to promote rehabilitation and self-sufficiency.
According to the minister, over 32,361 personnel across the Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Fire Service, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have been promoted.
The minster commended the management of Blueprint Newspapers for finding him worthy of recognition, saying he would not take the award for granted.
Earlier in her remarks, the Chairperson of Blueprint Newspapers’ Editorial Board Ms Zainab Suleiman Okino said the minister was chosen for the award because of his outstanding performance in the last two years.
She said the minister has transformed the Ministry of Interior through innovations snd groundbreaking ideas.