Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo is the Minister of Interior and, at 42, is one of the youngest in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet. His ministry is highly significant, overseeing key agencies like the Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Fire Service, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Just five months into his role, Tunji-Ojo was linked to a contract scandal. A company he co-founded and still held shares in reportedly received N438 million in consultancy fees from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, which was already involved in several spending scandals.
Despite this, Tunji-Ojo came out of the situation without any charges and refocused on reforms. Early in his term, he pushed the Nigeria Immigration Service to clear 204,000 pending passport applications. He also launched a digitalisation program to make passport renewals contactless for Nigerians at home and abroad. His ministry simplified the e-visa process for foreign visitors, improving security checks in the process.
These reforms made Tunji-Ojo popular, earning him praise as one of the few effective ministers in a government often criticized for inefficiency.
His reform efforts also reached the prison system. He secured N585 million from private donors to release prisoners who couldn’t afford their fines. Additionally, he increased transparency by releasing a report that exposed corruption, misconduct, and poor conditions within the Nigerian Correctional Service.
It remains to be seen whether Tunji-Ojo will maintain these reforms or prove to be just another savvy politician.