Tunji-Ojo speaks at Access Bank GLS, calls for innovation-driven public, private sector

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has called for innovation-driven public and private sector in the country.

Tunji-Ojo made the call at the Access Bank Guest Lecture Series (GLS) held at the bank’s headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos State, on Friday, May 23, 2025.

Speaking on the theme “Dare to Dream, Dare to Innovate,” the minister outlined a vision for innovation-driven governance, ethical leadership, and urgent reform in the country’s correctional system.

Tunji-Ojo drew on his background as an ethical hacker to illustrate how great leadership, like in cybersecurity, must be proactive, identifying, and fixing vulnerabilities before they become crises.

He said: “Leadership is not about reacting to problems, it is about foreseeing and solving them before they occur.

“And for that, you must always ask: What is your purpose? How will you execute it? And when is the right time to act?”

Tunji-Ojo showcased the transformation underway at the Ministry of Interior since he took office, including the clearance of a backlog of over 200,000 unprocessed passport applications and the elimination of N28 billion in legacy debt.

These achievements, he noted, were realised without additional financial aid from the federal government.

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Tunji-Ojo said the ministry deployed a strategy built on system integration, technology innovation, and financial self-sufficiency.

Among the innovations highlighted were the rollout of e-visa platforms, contactless passport renewals for Nigerians in the diaspora, advanced passenger information systems, and the commissioning of a Tier-4 data centre to support round-the-clock immigration services.

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of Access Holdings Plc, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, commended the minister’s clarity of vision and decisive leadership.

Aig-Imoukhuede said: “What Dr. Tunji-Ojo has demonstrated is that innovation is not about big budgets, it is about big thinking.

“His approach to public service reflects the same DNA of impact and excellence that defines Access Group.”

Aig-Imoukhuede noted that the guest lecture series was designed to deepen the conversation around leadership, accountability, and service.

“We cannot build the Nigeria we want without leaders who understand systems, value people, and are committed to sustainable change. Today’s conversation has shown us what that looks like in action,” he added.

The Star