The Federal Government is accelerating its efforts to implement e-government systems aimed at enhancing productivity and providing more accessible services to citizens.
This initiative was a focal point at the recent e-Government Summit held in Lagos, where officials from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and industry experts discussed the critical need for improved connectivity to bolster governance.
The renewed commitment to e-government comes on the heels of the July unveiling of the 1Government Cloud Software by Galaxy Backbone, a cloud-based solution designed to integrate infrastructure and software services for secure data storage and software provision to Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
This initiative aligns with the 2020 launch of the Nigeria e-Government Master Plan, which supports the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan aimed at revitalizing the nation’s economy. Dimie Warowei, Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy at NITDA, emphasized the successes of e-government in countries like Denmark, where effective collaboration across all levels of government has been key to its implementation.
“In Denmark, every level of government is aware of its responsibilities and works together to fund various aspects of the project,” Warowei noted.
However, he pointed out that regulatory challenges remain a significant barrier to the broader adoption of e-government in Nigeria, particularly the necessity for clear standards and guidelines.
“Much of what is required to implement this project will come from the private sector. The government’s role is to draft regulations that encourage private sector involvement,” he stated.
Warowei also proposed the creation of a dedicated agency to oversee the effective rollout of the e-government initiative.
Engineer Lanre Ajayi, Executive Chairman of GG Serve and convener of the Nigerian Government Summit, highlighted the persistent gap between government services and citizen access, particularly at local and state levels.
“The deployment of online services at these levels is deplorable, and much work is needed to motivate them to adopt technology in their processes,” Ajayi said.
He reiterated that the dialogue around e-government transformation is ongoing, with the need for continuous improvement as new technologies emerge. “Transformation is a continuous process,” he asserted, emphasizing the importance of keeping the conversation about data and modernization alive.
Professor Ibrahim Adepoju, Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone, underscored the necessity of increased collaboration across sectors to achieve the e-government agenda. He pointed out the importance of improving broadband access and ensuring infrastructure remains relevant, despite significant government investments. “Capacity utilization remains below potential,” Adepoju noted.
In August, Galaxy Backbone made headlines by achieving Uptime Institute’s Tier IV certification for its second data center, making it the first facility in Nigeria to secure both Tier IV design and facility certifications.
As the Federal Government intensifies its push for e-government, the focus remains on bridging the gap between technology and service delivery to ensure that citizens benefit from a more efficient and responsive governance system.
