Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has revealed that the Federal Government generated an impressive ₦2.4 billion in 2024 from marriage contracts through the national marriage registry.

Tunji-Ojo made the announcement during a media parley in Abuja with heads of agencies under the Ministry of Interior. He highlighted that marriage registrations have now become a significant revenue stream for the government, especially as the Ministry exceeded its projected revenue for 2023. As of October 31, 2023, the ministry had already collected ₦892 million in marriage registry fees, surpassing expectations.

In addition to marriage contracts, the Minister disclosed that the issuance of expatriate quota permits contributed heavily to the Ministry’s financial growth. In 2023, the Ministry earned over ₦1.1 billion from expatriate quota applications—surpassing its ₦600 million target by more than 150%.

Tunji-Ojo further emphasized the ministry's commitment to bolstering national security, particularly around the country’s borders, to mitigate the rise of irregular migration.

The Ministry's overall revenue growth, driven by the marriage registry and expatriate quota applications, demonstrates the government’s ability to tap into new sources of income while simultaneously addressing national security concerns. The continued success of these revenue streams suggests that there may be even greater potential to boost government funding from such initiatives in the future.

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