The Nigerian Government says it will strengthen collaboration between the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Interior to improve public communication on national security, immigration reforms, and other government policies.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, who stated this in Abuja during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Tunji Ojo, in his office, also said the engagement was part of efforts to bridge the information gap between government activities and public understanding.
The Information Minister stressed that the Ministry of Information had adopted a strategy of engaging key ministries directly rather than waiting for periodic press briefings.
“We felt that it is absolutely important for us not just to sit in our offices and wait for you to come for press briefings. We have selected key ministries to interact with them, hear them out, because we are a service ministry bridging the gap between what you do and what Nigerians ought to know,” he said.
He noted that the administration of President Bola Tinubu had embarked on major reforms since assuming office, including the removal of the fuel subsidy and exchange rate unification.
Emphasising that improved communication was particularly necessary in areas such as visa processing, passport reforms, and immigration services, which directly affect Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.
He added that the Ministry of Information would help amplify these reforms to ensure Nigerians fully understand the changes.
“Our job is to ensure that whatever the administration does, the Nigerian public hears it and aligns with it. Whatever you do, our role is to help amplify that so Nigerians can understand.”
The Information Minister also highlighted the importance of coordinated messaging on national security, saying government institutions must project a unified narrative about Nigeria’s security situation.
Idris maintained that Nigeria’s economic indicators and international ratings were improving, pointing to rising foreign reserves, declining inflation, and renewed foreign investment.
“For the first time in 13 years our foreign reserves have crossed the 50 billion dollar mark. These are positive stories that we need to tell,” Idris said.
He also announced that Nigeria would host the World Public Relations Forum later this year in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
Responding, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, welcomed the initiative and described collaboration with the Information Ministry as essential for effective public communication.
“The Ministry of Information has perhaps a bigger role than people can imagine. Collaboration between the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Information is necessary and extremely important for appropriate information dissemination,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He said significant reforms had been implemented across agencies under the ministry, including the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Nigerian Correctional Service, the Federal Fire Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the National Identity Management Commission.
“We might not yet be where we want to be, but we are not where we were. We have made huge progress in the Ministry of Interior,” he said.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo explained that the government cleared a backlog of more than 200,000 passport applications within weeks of the current administration taking office through the introduction of a contactless passport renewal system for Nigerians living abroad.
The meeting between the two ministries was aimed at aligning communication strategies and ensuring that reforms within the Interior Ministry are clearly communicated to Nigerians.
