News

Journalist Calls Out Interior Minister Over Inability To Get Passport Six Months After Renewal

ByOlamilekan Adigun

PublishedJanuary 13, 2026

A journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, has called out the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, over his inability to get his international passport six months after renewal.

The journalist in a post on his Facebook page on Tuesday said he was unable to get his international passport six months after paying for its renewal.

Soyombo said he paid the sum of N109,700 via the Nigeria Immigration Service payment portal on July 31, 2025, adding that he had yet to receive the passport.

He said the Minister, despite announcing that Nigerians would be able to receive their international passports one week after application, the situation was not so.

Soyombo described the Minister as a typical Nigerian politician who is good at manipulating public sentiment.

He wrote, “In January 2024, when I wrote that ‘Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo will NEVER be able to revolutionise Nigeria’s messily-corrupt passport application system’, some accused me of prophesying doom.

“But it is now six months since I paid and applied for the renewal of my international passport. Maybe I will get it tomorrow.

“On Thursday July 31, 2025, I paid a sum of N109,700 via the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) payment portal, then proceeded to one of their Lagos offices, to complete further documentation and capture. Meanwhile, the officers first mocked us for kick-starting the registration online.

“I couldn’t complete capturing on that day due to a ‘network problem’ that lasted several hours; I was forced to return to their office the following day for that. As I write this, ‘passport pending production’ is the long-running feedback from NIS.

“The irony is that Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo continues to be lauded by the unsuspecting public as one of the best — even the best — ministers in Tinubu’s cabinet. It is already almost five months since Tunji-Ojo announced, in the latest of his many mouthwatering passport efficacy promises, that Nigerians would be able to receive their international passports one week after application.

“My opinion of him remains unchanged; he is simply the typical Nigerian politician who has a mastery of gallery play and public sentiment manipulation via the media for personal branding.”

Meanwhile, mixed reactions have trailed Soyombo’s post. While some Nigerians agreed with the journalist, others said they got their passport within a short time.

Commenting, a Facebook user, Hero Benedict, wrote, “I’m currently experiencing this as well. I sent them an email since October till now there’s no response and if you call them they won’t pick their calls. My passport will expire in 3 months’ time.”

Supporting Soyombo’s position, Gabriel Ojakovo, said, “You are absolutely right to be critical of the Minister and the system he is lauded for having reformed. I scheduled an appointment for passport renewal at the New York office and attempted to reschedule it, but the system does not permit any date change.

“I have been calling the New York office continuously since last week, yet no one has responded. This is not a question of accountability; it reflects an apparent lack of responsibility and negligence toward the Nigerian people.”

But Faizu Sanusi, while responding to Soyombo’s post, said, “I will advise you to go there to check if it’s ready or not because someone once experienced the same. It was pending online but ready in their office.
Kindly try to check their office.”

Olamilekan Adigun

Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.