By Olumide Akinrinlola
TORONTO, CANADA — The Minister of Interior, Hon. (Dr.) Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has declared that the Federal Government is systematically dismantling bureaucratic bottlenecks in passport issuance to ensure that Nigerians living in the diaspora no longer suffer to obtain identity documents.
Starnews NG reports that the Minister delivered this assurance in Toronto during his address at the ongoing maiden Nigeria Diaspora Economic Conference (NiDEC 2026), held under the theme “Invest Nigeria; Thrive Abroad.”
Starnews NG reports that Tunji-Ojo, who received a thunderous ovation from the diaspora community, linked seamless consular services directly to national economic growth. He made it clear that building trust through efficient government services is crucial for attracting diaspora capital into the country. “Nigerians at home and in the diaspora deserve the best. They don’t have to suffer or sweat to get the Nigerian Passport,” the Interior Minister stated authoritatively.
Delivering his address, Starnews NG writes that the Minister revealed strategic plans to enforce global accountability within Nigeria’s immigration services. He announced that a specialised team from the Ministry of Interior is being deployed to spearhead the direct supervision of the administration’s E8-Mandate.
According to the Minister, the United Kingdom will serve as the first operational location for this strict oversight assignment, before rolling out to other global hubs, including Canada.
Addressing lingering anxieties over systemic inefficiencies, Tunji-Ojo charged the public to actively join the fight against institutional rot. He urged diaspora stakeholders to serve as whistleblowers to help sanitise the immigration framework. He urged the public to report unethical behaviour by officials, highlighting that public vigilance is crucial to boosting efficiency in service delivery and curbing corruption, Starnews NG reports.
A core goal of the NiDEC 2026 conference, championed by NiDCOM CEO Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, is converting annual diaspora remittances exceeding $20 billion into direct, productive domestic investments. Dabiri-Erewa praised the Interior Ministry’s reforms, stating that addressing passport issues removes a significant barrier to investment, She emphasised the need to foster a conducive environment to encourage such investments.
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