Paperless Civil Service: A Defining Milestone in Service Transformation – SGF Akume
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator (Dr.) George Akume, has described the transition to a paperless Civil Service as a defining milestone in Nigeria’s public service transformation, asserting that it is a fundamental change in culture, mindset, and service delivery.
Akume made this remark on Thursday, at the Paperless Civil Service Gala & Awards Night in Abuja, where he emphasized that digital governance is no longer optional, but essential to effective coordination, fiscal discipline, and timely decision-making across government.
He highlighted that the transition to paperless work processes is not merely a technological upgrade, noting that it represents efficiency over bureaucracy, transparency over opacity, and accountability over discretion.
The SGF commended the Office of the Head of Civil Service, under Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, for its vision, consistency, and commitment to reforms, urging all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to institutionalize digital processes, safeguard data integrity, invest in capacity building, and sustain reform beyond personalities. “This is a clear demonstration of what is possible when leadership aligns policy with execution,” he said.
In a keynote address, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, outlined progress made in digitalizing the civil service, with 31 Ministries and Extra-Ministerial Departments going live on the Enterprise Content Management System.
She stated that the digitalization effort was a deliberate reform effort spanning successive Heads of Civil Service, driven by the need for speed, transparency, resilience, and citizen trust.
According to her, the initiative has led to 100,828 official email accounts, providing secure government communication, strengthening sovereignty over official correspondence, improving responsiveness, and saving billions of naira on external licences.
Walson-Jack added thaf the digitization process empowers people to work better, faster, and smarter, prioritizing locally developed solutions and Nigerian expertise.
In a goodwill message, Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, MD/CEO of Galaxy Backbone Limited, said his company is proud to support the digitalization effort, providing secure and scalable digital infrastructure.
He commended Mrs Walson-Jack for her commitment stating further that the transformation aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Also speaking, the Program Director of 1Gov, Mr. Wumi Oghoetuoma.disclosed that the initiative has enabled the government to achieve its digital transformation goals, thus improving efficiency and effectiveness of government services.
The ceremony featured awards like the Digital Readiness Award, ECM Torchbearers Award, Go-Live Excellence Award, and Stellar Progress Award, among others
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