August 28, 2025 – The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced a new policy that grants lifetime salary benefits to senior officers retiring from the rank of Deputy Controller, Comptroller, or Commandant-General and above.
The development, approved by President Bola Tinubu, was described as a major boost to officer welfare. Dr. Tunji-Ojo disclosed this on Thursday while speaking at the 2025 Ministerial Retreat, where he presented the achievements of the ministry and restated its commitment to improving institutional capacity across agencies.
This was contained in a statement signed by the NPRO/Head, Corporate Services of the Federal Fire Service, DCF PO Abraham, on Thursday after the retreat. The statement noted that the minister conveyed appreciation to the President for his support.
“The minister expressed profound appreciation to President Tinubu for his unwavering support, affirming that all agencies under the Ministry of Interior are reaping the benefits of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” it read.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo highlighted progress made under his leadership, particularly in officer promotions. “We have successfully cleared the long-standing backlog of promotions,” he said, pointing out that over 50,000 officers had been promoted in the last two years. He added that future promotions will be guided by a system based on capacity and performance.
In line with the ministry’s goal of enhancing institutions, the minister announced that new training manuals have been developed and that construction of a world-class Fire Academy is underway. According to him, the academy is being designed to compete with leading international institutions, such as the Arizona Fire Academy.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo also spoke on mental health support for officers, stressing its importance in workplace productivity. He assured staff of the ministry’s full backing in this area.
He further urged the Federal Fire Service to pursue partnerships with the private sector, explaining that collaboration will improve service delivery, boost infrastructure, and drive modernisation of firefighting operations in Nigeria.