TunjiOjo
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said Nigeria’s long-standing struggle to meet global standards in governance and security is largely the result of entrenched resistance to reform and reliance on outdated systems.
Speaking in Abuja at the International Civil Service Conference, Tunji-Ojo argued that many public institutions have remained stuck in “old ways of doing things,” limiting efficiency in key sectors such as border management, identity services, and internal security.
He said the culture of preserving legacy procedures has slowed innovation in government, stressing that effective public service must now be driven by measurable outcomes rather than routine processes.
According to him, Nigeria inherited administrative systems that were largely manual and fragmented, creating loopholes in critical areas like passport issuance, migration control, and data integration.
The minister noted that one of the biggest governance challenges has been implementing solutions without properly diagnosing the problems they are meant to solve, leading to repeated inefficiencies.
He called for a decisive break from bureaucratic comfort zones, insisting that reform requires courage and a willingness to confront entrenched institutional habits.
Tunji-Ojo criticised what he described as an over-reliance on “this is how it has always been done” thinking, saying such attitudes have kept Nigeria behind global best practices in public administration.
He highlighted recent reforms in the Ministry of Interior, including the introduction of more digital systems for border control and the automation of identity and travel documentation processes.
He said these upgrades now allow for improved screening of travellers and better coordination with international security databases.
The minister also referenced reforms in passport administration, including centralised production processes that have increased efficiency and reduced backlogs inherited from previous systems.
According to him, similar digital transitions are ongoing in visa processing and correctional services as part of broader efforts to modernise internal governance structures.
Tunji-Ojo added that security and correctional reforms are already yielding results, particularly through rehabilitation programmes aimed at reducing repeat offences among inmates.
He maintained that leadership must be judged by impact, not intention, saying public officials should be accountable for the systems they improve and the results they deliver.
“You are not to be judged by what you inherited, but by what you hand over,” he said, reinforcing the administration’s reform narrative.