By Mercy Peter
The Federal Government has emphasized the need for a strategic and unified communication framework among ministries and government agencies to enhance national security coordination and ensure Nigerians are well informed about ongoing reforms.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made this known on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.
Idris said effective collaboration and communication between government institutions are critical to strengthening security efforts and presenting a unified national narrative, particularly in the fight against terrorism, banditry and other security challenges.
According to him, the Federal Government believes that sustained engagement and interaction among ministries and departments can help develop a coordinated communication strategy that will improve the effectiveness of national security actions.
He explained that the Ministry of Information and National Orientation has commenced a series of engagements with strategic ministries and agencies in order to better understand their activities and ensure that Nigerians are adequately informed about government initiatives and their impact on national development.
Idris said the ministry is moving beyond traditional communication approaches by proactively engaging institutions directly rather than waiting for them to brief the media.
“The Federal Government believes that through interactions amongst ministries and departments of government, a strategic and unified communication framework can evolve that will boost the coordination of security actions in the fight against terrorism and banditry,” the minister stated.
“We felt that it was absolutely important for us not just to sit in our offices and wait for you to come to the press conference. We believe it is important to come, interact with ministries, hear them out and align our communication so that we move in the same direction for our country,” he said.
“Our job is to ensure that whatever the administration does, Nigerians hear about it and understand it. Therefore, whatever you do here, our role is to help amplify it so that Nigerians and the international community understand the reforms taking place,” he said.
“There is also the need for us to have greater collaboration on national security messaging. It is very critical that Nigeria has a single narrative on what is happening in the country and how the government is addressing the challenges,” Idris added.
He added that the engagement forms part of ongoing efforts to deepen collaboration with key government institutions and strengthen public communication around the policies and reforms of the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The minister noted that improved collaboration between the two ministries would be particularly beneficial in communicating reforms in areas such as immigration services, visa processes and border management under the Ministry of Interior.
Idris stressed that effective communication of government policies is vital for building public understanding, boosting national confidence and projecting Nigeria’s reforms to the global community.
He also highlighted the importance of coordinated national messaging on security and governance, noting that government institutions must work together to ensure that accurate information reaches citizens and counter misinformation.
Responding, the Minister of Interior, Tunji-Ojo, described the partnership between the two ministries as crucial for effective dissemination of government policies, especially those relating to citizenship, immigration management and national security.
“Collaboration between the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Information is necessary and extremely important for appropriate information dissemination. The Ministry of Interior deals with citizenship matters and citizenship integrity, while you deal with national orientation,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo highlighted several reforms undertaken by the ministry under the Tinubu administration, particularly within the Nigerian Immigration Service. These include the clearance of a backlog of passport applications, the introduction of contactless passport renewal services for Nigerians in the diaspora and the deployment of advanced border management technologies.
According to him, when the administration assumed office in 2023, the country faced a backlog of 204,332 passport applications.
“When Mr President came into office in 2023, we had a passport backlog of 204,332 applications. It took this administration only two and a half weeks to clear it, ensuring that Nigerians would no longer return to the era of passport scarcity,” he said.
The minister further explained that technology-driven solutions are being deployed to strengthen border security, modernize immigration processes and improve service delivery for Nigerians both at home and abroad.
He also invited officials of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to undertake a tour of key reform projects and infrastructure developments across agencies under the Interior Ministry. These include the Federal Fire Service, Nigerian Correctional Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
