By Paul Effiong, Abuja
Nigeria’s drive towards a fully digitised, citizen-centred public sector took centre stage yesterday at the international four-day Study Tour on e-Governance, Innovation and Resilience, held at Swiss-Belinn, Nairobi, Kenya, where experts brainstormed on the challenges, gaps, realities and pathways to modernising public institutions across Africa.
Presenting a well-researched and detailed paper titled “Modernisation of Public Institutions: Gaps, Realities and Pathway to Enhance Effective e-Governance,” Dr TPL Bassey Ita Etim-Ikang, PhD, a development expert and analyst, called for urgent reforms driven by innovation, technology and institutional resilience.
In his compelling lecture, Etim-Ikang revealed that public and private institutions worldwide have rapidly transitioned from analogue systems to digital ecosystems, propelled by breakthroughs in information and communication technology.
According to him, “governance in the 21st century has been reshaped by digital transformation, making paperless processes, real-time service delivery and electronic governance not only possible but inevitable for effective administration process.”
Although his analysis was anchored in Nigeria’s experience, the presenter traced the country’s journey from manual administrative systems to modernised governance through reforms and structural reorganisation.
He explained that the adoption of e-governance tools has been critical in repositioning public institutions to deliver faster, more transparent and citizen-friendly services, while significantly reducing the bureaucratic bottlenecks that once characterised public service operations in the country.
The presentation, widely regarded as one of the most outstanding in recent times, also highlighted key implementation frameworks already in place in Nigeria, including the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), noting that the technology deployed digital identity solutions nationwide, and Galaxy Backbone, which he said provides core e-governance infrastructure linking ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
These platforms, Etim-Ikang noted, constitute the backbone of Nigeria’s emerging digital public service architecture.
Earlier in his presentation, the lecturer further explained that Nigeria’s growing e-governance hubs were showcased, with government portals and the Government Contact Centre (GCC) simplifying citizens’ access to public services and information.
Consequently, Etim-Ikang informed participants that institutions such as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Digital Transformation Centre Nigeria were identified as key drivers of innovation. He also noted that Lagos State has gained global recognition as an e-governance hub, having hosted the UN-affiliated ICEGOV 2025 conference.
Drawing attention to the grassroots dimension, Etim-Ikang observed in his paper that Nigeria’s 8,813 political wards across its 774 local government areas represent a vast but largely underutilised opportunity for digital inclusion.
He further explained that projects such as NITDA’s proposed 1,600 ICT centres and the 774 Local Government Connectivity Initiative are crucial to extending the benefits of e-governance to rural communities, while also enhancing participatory governance.
On ongoing Federal Government reforms, Etim-Ikang outlined major policy deliverables already underway, including the full digitisation of operations at the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Federal Government’s push for paperless civil service operations by December 2025, and the implementation of a five-year strategic plan for the Federal Civil Service.
In further strengthening his argument, Etim-Ikang cited leadership development programmes and international partnerships, including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) collaboration with France, as evidence of Nigeria’s alignment with global best practices.
Despite the notable progress recorded, the presenter identified persistent gaps that continue to hinder the effective implementation of e-governance in Nigeria.
According to him, challenges such as limited ICT infrastructure, resistance to change within the bureaucracy, low digital literacy among public servants, funding constraints, cyber fraud risks, data manipulation, energy challenges and weak political will, among others, have impeded the full deployment of comprehensive e-government policies across Africa’s most populous nation.
The paper, however, emphasised that prevailing realities — including rising citizen expectations, global digital trends and ongoing national digital initiatives — have left Nigeria with little choice but to accelerate its modernisation agenda.
Etim-Ikang therefore proposed several practical solutions to bridge existing technological gaps, including strategic investments in infrastructure, aggressive capacity building, inclusive stakeholder engagement, community-level pilot projects, enabling legislation, strengthened international partnerships and the integration of renewable energy solutions, among others.
He also highlighted key flagship e-governance initiatives and deliverables, including IPPIS, TSA, GIFMIS, REMITA, the e-procurement platform and SERVICOM, to mention but a few.
According to him, these initiatives have significantly improved transparency, accountability and service delivery across all segments of governance.
Concluding his presentation on an optimistic note, Etim-Ikang encouraged participants to remain hopeful, submitting that strengthening public institutions through innovation, creativity and digital processes remains Nigeria’s surest pathway to effective, people-oriented governance, economic diversification and sustainable national development across all sectors.
Dr Etim-Ikang (PhD) is a highly respected orator and the author of several books.
