Nigeria’s Ministry of Interior generated ₦6 billion in revenue in 2024, a 50% increase from the previous year.
Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo shared this update at a media briefing in Abuja, outlining the sources of the revenue: ₦3.2 billion from expatriate quota applications, ₦2.4 billion from marriage registrations, ₦392 million from citizenship applications, and ₦12 million from places of worship.
He explained that the revenue from expatriate quotas comes from application fees, not approvals, addressing concerns about the number of foreigners coming into the country.
Tunji-Ojo attributed the revenue growth to efforts to improve the ministry’s operations and expressed confidence that they will generate even more in 2025, thanks to ongoing reforms and better use of technology.
The minister also praised the work of the ministry’s agencies, including the Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Fire Service, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, for their role in achieving these results.
The ministry has also made processes like citizenship verification, business permits, and expatriate quotas more efficient through automation.
Tunji-Ojo highlighted that the ministry has made significant progress in personnel management, with 32,640 officers promoted in 2023 and 20,851 promoted in 2024, clearing a backlog that had been there for years. He assured that, by January 2025, there would be no more promotion delays.
“So 2025, we also have our targets, and of course, with the optimisation of our solutions, we are sure that we will be able to perform better,” he said.
The ministry has also focused on modernising its operations, especially within the NSCDC, by investing in new technology and tackling issues like oil theft. The Federal Fire Service has upgraded its training facilities, and work is ongoing to update the Fire Service Act to meet current needs.
Tunji-Ojo emphasised that these changes are part of a broader effort to modernise the ministry, improve service delivery, and build stronger institutions that meet the needs of Nigerians.
