Broadcasting
Minister Slams NIS for asking married women to travel to Abuja for change of name
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior has berated officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for always asking people, especially married women, to go to its headquarters in Abuja to change their names on their passports.
The minister, who described the act as “stupid”, spoke at a dinner with members of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (ABAT) Media Centre and some social media influencers in Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo said there is nowhere in the world where women are subjected to such inhuman practice on account of marriage.
The minister queried if NIS personnel in Abuja were special than those in the various passport offices across the federation.
“There is one stupid thing I have seen and it is that a woman gets married, changes her name and then she has to come to Abuja all the way from, say Kaura Namoda or Enugu, just to effect a change of name in her passport. It is absurd.
“I can’t just figure it that you want to change just your name and you have to be in Abuja. I have asked the Immigration people: is it that Immigration people in Abuja have more than one head than those in the states?” he queried.
According to him, passport issue remains the least of his worries, while there are many other issues, like the need to have more secure borders for the country, among others.
Tunji-Ojo announced that as from March, the new passport reforms he is putting in place would ensure contactless biometrics enrolment in order to allow Nigerians do their enrolments from their comfort zones.
“With the new reforms, you don’t need to travel to Abuja to change your data. Everything will be done online.
“From March, once you have ever enrolled for a passport and you are coming to renew, please, don’t come to my office; stay in your house and do it. We have contactless biometrics, and this can be done in five minutes. We don’t need to keep taking your biometrics every five years. Who does that in the world?
“This is what #RenewedHope is about. It is about positively disrupting the process. By the grace of God, the issue of passport is the least of our worries,” he said.
Announcing plans for a forum to unveil the ministry’s agenda for this year, Tunji-Ojo harped on the need for knowledge transfer and training of officers on passport issues.
The minister urged Nigerians to keep faith with the Tinubu administration, saying the President is leading the country aright.
He promised to continue to give his best to make Nigeria better for Nigerians.
“Any day I think I don’t have the zeal again, I will do what honest men do and go because Nigeria as a country does not deserve 99.9 per cent. It deserves 100 per cent from us. That is what public service demands,” Tunji-Ojo added.
Also, Tunji-Ojo has announced that the automated system would begin during a review of the NIS facilities in Abuja on January 8.
The programme intends to give applicants a convenient and secure experience while reducing human interface in the passport application process.
The minister announced this in Abuja during an inspection of facilities at the NIS in company of the Comptroller General of the service, Mrs. Wura-Ola Adepoju.
“We’re ready to go live. We are starting training. On January 8, the solution will be live and direct for Nigerians to have a wonderful feeling, a sweet experience based on Mr. President’s Renewed Hope,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo said the Federal Government remained committed to ending the use of forged documents in passport applications.
“We have been able to reduce human contact in passport acquisition to the minimum,” he added.
The minister stressed the essence of the new system in strengthening the country’s security architecture and safeguarding Nigerian residents’ comfort and convenience.
He added that the NIS had deployed document verification personnel in all local government areas across the country to improve document verification.
“This action attempts to thoroughly scrutinise passport applications and prevent the submission of fake documents.
“The automation of the passport application process is consistent with the government’s initiatives to use technology to improve service delivery and security,” Tunji-Ojo added.
Mr. Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, took centre stage at the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) annual end-of-year meeting on Thursday, December 18, 2025, recounting the company’s remarkable growth and reaffirming free IT training for journalists.
Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, in a group photograph with NITRA Members
Speaking directly to IT media members at the company’s training facility in Lagos, Akano acknowledged the critical role journalists played in supporting New Horizons during its formative years two decades ago.
He detailed how the firm evolved from a handful of staff to one of Africa’s leading ICT skills training organisations, now employing about 500 staff across multiple training centres nationwide.
Akano Spotlights Youth Training, University Partnerships
Akano highlighted that New Horizons has trained over 500,000 youths, particularly tertiary institution students, equipping them with practical IT skills essential for Nigeria’s digital economy.
He announced recent partnerships with universities, including a new agreement with Afe Babalola University, to scale hands-on training programmes for students.
“This growth would not have been possible without the media’s support in documenting our journey,” Akano stated, pledging continued free IT skills training for media members to remain competitive in the evolving digital landscape.
Reciprocal Support Defines Long-Standing Partnership
The venue hosting the NITRA meeting underscored Akano’s generosity; NITRA Secretary Chidiebere Nwankwo secured the free facility after contacting him—a gesture consistent with New Horizons hosting multiple association events and training IT journalists since its inception 20 years ago.
Participants shared personal testimonies of Akano’s support, including veteran journalist Aaron Ukodie, whose daughter—an Accounting graduate from the University of Johannesburg—received NYSC placement and IT scholarship at New Horizons.
The Guardian’s Yemi Adeyemi recounted Akano accommodating his editor’s child for mandatory IT training after other firms declined.
Members praised Akano’s commitment to human capital development as evidence of deep appreciation for the media community that chronicled New Horizons’ success over two decades.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched the NIMC Pre-Enrolment Portal to revolutionise the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment process, enabling applicants within Nigeria and in the Diaspora to capture biodata online prior to biometric verification at enrolment centres.
NIMC
Accessible via penrol.nimc.gov.ng, the platform allows users to fill enrolment forms, schedule appointments, upload supporting documents securely, and manage personal details directly, thereby slashing congestion, minimising wait times, boosting data accuracy and enhancing overall service efficiency at centres nationwide.
NIMC Director-General and CEO, Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, spearheaded the initiative as part of the Commission’s technology-driven strategy to fortify institutional performance, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda that emphasises digital transformation, efficient public service delivery and inclusive national development.
Dr Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, highlighted key benefits including simplified biodata handling, confidential data protection through robust security measures, reduced physical centre visits and heightened operational effectiveness, urging all prospective enrollees to adopt the portal for a faster, citizen-friendly experience.[conversation_history]
The move underscores NIMC’s mandate under the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 to manage the National Identity Database, issue NINs and foster a reliable digital identity ecosystem vital for national planning, with users advised to complete pre-enrolment online before heading to selected centres for biometrics.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a Pan-African film and television training institution, has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 intake.
MultiChoice
The fully funded programme is open to African graduates aspiring to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers.
According to MultiChoice, the nine-month accredited curriculum combines online learning with intensive in-person training, and is designed to balance theoretical knowledge with practical immersion.
MTF academies are located in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, and serve aspiring filmmakers from 14 African countries. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has trained 296 filmmakers, with graduates producing more than 42 movies aired on DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms.
Organisers said alumni of the programme have gone on to establish over 50 production companies, while many continue to work within the MultiChoice ecosystem.
Graduates have also won accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Kalasha Awards, Uganda Film Festival and Women in Film Awards.
Applications for the 2026 intake close on Feb. 27, 2026. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/3XW53oE for programme requirements.
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