In a bold and inspiring address at the Access Bank Guest Lecture Series in Lagos on Monday, Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo revealed that over 200,000 unprocessed passport applications have been cleared since he assumed office—without a single extra kobo of government funding.
He also disclosed that his ministry had settled ₦28 billion in longstanding debts, highlighting innovation, planning, and technology as the tools behind the transformation.
Speaking on the theme “Dare to Dream, Dare to Innovate,” Tunji-Ojo delivered a searing critique of systemic inefficiency and injustice, declaring that leadership must be proactive, not reactive.
“Leadership is not about reacting to problems. It’s about foreseeing and solving them before they occur. 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.
Under his leadership, the ministry has introduced reforms such as contactless passport renewals for Nigerians abroad, e-visa systems, and advanced passenger tracking—all part of a wider digital transformation agenda.
But it was his comments on Nigeria’s broken prison system that struck the deepest chord.
“Over 4,000 inmates are in jail today just because they can’t pay fines as low as ₦50,000. This is not a legal crisis—it is a moral one,” he said. “A society that punishes poverty more than crime has lost its moral compass.”
The Minister revealed that private donors are partnering with the government to secure the release of non-violent offenders, and stressed that justice must be both corrective and compassionate.
“A correctional facility must correct, not condemn. Justice without dignity is injustice in disguise,” he added.
The event drew top business executives, policymakers, and thought leaders, with Access Holdings Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede commending Tunji-Ojo for redefining leadership through action.
“Innovation is not about big budgets—it’s about big thinking,” Aig-Imoukhuede said.
In his closing remarks, the Minister called on citizens and institutions to think boldly and act purposefully.
“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.”
