By Jamiu Yusuf
ABUJA: The Federal Government has set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for paramilitary services under the Ministry of Interior, directing them to raise service delivery and fully align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The directive was issued by Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, at the closing ceremony of the Ministry’s Sectoral Performance Review Retreat held at Zuma Rock Resorts, Suleja, Niger State.
At the retreat, heads of the agencies signed their 2025 performance contracts with the minister, pledging to intensify reforms and ensure Nigerians feel the direct benefits of government policies.
Those who signed included the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi; Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche; Controller General of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Adeyemi Olumode; and Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Coker. The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, who is currently on President Tinubu’s delegation to Brazil, is expected to sign on her return.
Tunji-Ojo said the Ministry of Interior must become a model institution, stressing that the era of mediocrity was over. “It is not my dream to build a Ministry of Interior that will only do well under my leadership. My dream is to build a ministry that will succeed even without me. That is what you call an institution,” he declared.
The minister applauded ongoing reforms in the Correctional Service, emphasizing that custodial centres must evolve into true rehabilitation facilities. “I don’t want our correctional centres to be places of condemnation, but places of correction indeed,” he said.
On the Federal Fire Service, Tunji-Ojo unveiled plans for a more vibrant, liberalized service with private sector participation, emergency medical units, and greater employment opportunities. “By this time next year, I want to see a fire service judged by the number of assets saved and one vibrant enough to compete globally,” he said.
For the NIMC, the minister charged management to improve registration and verification processes, while urging the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) to prioritize training. “You can’t ask your officers to give what you haven’t deposited in them. Without training and retraining, you cannot expect the best,” he cautioned.
Tunji-Ojo also commended the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, and the ministry’s directors for pushing reforms that have raised performance ratings from 62 percent in 2023 to 85 percent in 2024. “I hate 85. Let’s go for 100. We are agents of perfection. Let Nigerians feel our impact. Let Renewed Hope be evident in all that we do,” he charged.
Ajani, in her remarks, directed agencies to immediately roll out reforms across all units, stressing that the KPIs were time-bound and measurable.
Speaking on behalf of the agencies, NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof. Audi, assured of improved delivery in 2025. “We signed one last year and did well, but there is room for corrections. This year, we will roll out strategies to surpass past achievements. Nigerians will see a lot of improvements,” he pledged.
He added that the Corps would focus on both presidential and operational mandates, with a review of its performance due by the first quarter of 2026.
With the new performance contracts, the Interior Ministry expects its paramilitary services to remain a pillar of national security and service delivery, while contributing significantly to the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
