The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said that Nigeria’s borders are now better protected, attributing the progress to President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening national security under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Tunji-Ojo asserted on Sunday in Lagos at the Theatre Arts and Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) Professional and Empowerment Summit 2025. The event, themed “The Right Man in Governance: Advancing Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” also saw the minister honoured as TAMPAN Man of the Year in recognition of his performance in office.
Represented at the summit by a former Ondo State Commissioner, Mr Dayo Awude, the minister said the Ministry of Interior has recorded significant improvements since the inception of the Tinubu administration. He listed prison reforms, strengthened border security architecture, the deployment of electronic gates at major airports and innovations in passport administration as key milestones.
According to him, the ministry has also cleared about 200,000 passport application backlogs, a development he described as a major boost to public confidence in public service delivery.
“The passport issue is just one example of what people can see and feel. The Honourable Minister has done much more than that,” Awude said. “Today, if you go to airports in Lagos or Abuja, you will find e-gates in operation. You no longer have to deal with unnecessary harassment by immigration officers.
“As long as you are a citizen with a valid passport, you scan it and proceed. That is the way forward. Our borders are better protected today, and our correctional facilities are also better than before. He has performed well across all sectors.”
Responding to questions on the clearance of the passport backlog, Awude said the challenge was inherited from the previous administration but was addressed because it was unacceptable to allow such a situation to persist.
“It was inherited, definitely. Someone did not do the job or did not have what was required to do it. When the current minister came in, he demonstrated that the problem could be solved, and he did just that,” he said.
In his remarks after receiving the award, Tunji-Ojo described members of TAMPAN as the “conscience of the nation” and urged them to be more creative, original and purposeful in their work.
Earlier, the Global President of TAMPAN, Mr Bolaji Amusan, commended the minister for bringing clarity, innovation and renewed focus to the Ministry of Interior. Amusan, popularly known as Mr Latin, said the minister’s reforms had helped to restore public confidence in services that directly affect millions of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.
According to him, beyond institutional reforms, Tunji-Ojo has demonstrated courage and accountability by insisting on standards and placing national interest above personal or political convenience.
He added that the minister’s performance aligns closely with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, describing it as a practical example of how effective leadership can strengthen institutions and deliver sustainable results.
Amusan also noted that the creative industry is not only a major economic driver but a powerful tool for social reorientation, value projection and national unity, positioning it as a strategic partner in governance and nation-building.
He stressed that the honour bestowed on the minister was neither commercial nor routine, but a rare recognition reserved for individuals whose leadership has made a lasting national impact.
The TAMPAN president urged practitioners in the creative sector to uphold professionalism, unity and higher standards, while aligning their creative output with national development goals.
Highlights of the event included a drama performance by TAMPAN’s national troupe and a colourful parade by members of the association’s state chapters.
