Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the interior minister, announced that the ministry collected over N6 billion in 2024.
This revenue came from marriages, citizenship applications, and places of worship.
The minister shared this information during a media event in Abuja on Tuesday.
He emphasized that a major segment of the ministry involves the citizenship and business department, which oversees naturalization, marriages, and expatriate quotas.
Tunji-Ojo pointed out that the revenue generated by the department fell short of expectations.
Recognizing this, they initiated a process to optimize and automate operations within the department.
“I’m pleased to report that in the past year, revenue for the government increased by over 150 percent due to this optimization,” he stated.
He provided an example, noting that the government earned approximately N3.2 billion from expatriate quotas last year.
This amount reflects application fees rather than merely granting quotas.
Additionally, he mentioned that marriages contributed around N2.4 billion, while citizenship applications brought in N392 million and places of worship generated about N12 million.
Overall, the department generated approximately N6,034,457,000, marking an impressive increase from 2023.
The minister explained that there is a thorough verification process for foreigners seeking Nigerian citizenship.
“There’s significant collaboration with security agencies,” he noted. To become a Nigerian citizen now involves various factors, requiring careful attention to detail while avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy.
He added, “By adopting technology, we are enhancing this service. It’s going to improve the applicant experience, and it’ll help the government make more objective decisions.”
