ABUJA — The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has described the ongoing transition of the Federal Civil Service to paperless operations as a transformative step toward modernizing governance and improving service delivery.
Speaking at the Paperless Civil Service Gala & Awards Night in Abuja, Akume stated that the initiative marks “a defining milestone” in the service’s transformation journey.
“The transition to paperless work processes is not merely a technological upgrade; it is a fundamental shift in culture, mindset, and service delivery,” Akume said. “It represents efficiency over bureaucracy, transparency over opacity, and accountability over discretion.”
He emphasized that digital governance is now essential for effective coordination, fiscal discipline, and timely decision-making, urging all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to institutionalize digital processes, safeguard data integrity, and invest in capacity building.
Significant Progress Reported
In her keynote address, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, highlighted notable advancements in the digitization drive.
She revealed that GOVMail, the official government email platform, now boasts 100,828 active accounts, ensuring secure communication and saving the government “billions of naira previously spent on external licences.”
Walson-Jack noted that while only three MDAs—the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Transportation, and the Federal Ministry of Finance—had fully digitized their processes at the start of her tenure in August 2024, the reform has since gained significant momentum through coordinated efforts like the “Digitalisation War Room.”
New Digital Initiatives Unveiled
The HCSF outlined several innovative digital tools already in operation, including:
· A Service-Wise GPT trained on official documents like the Constitution and Public Service Rules, which has recorded over 25,000 chats.
· An Online Compendium of Federal Circulars to streamline access to official directives.
· The Federal Civil Service Online Academy to modernize and scale up training for public servants.
“Digitalisation, which for many years sounded like a good idea we would get to ‘one day,’ has finally arrived,” Walson-Jack stated. “We can now speak about it not as a concept, but as reality.”
Awards Recognize Top Performers
The event concluded with the presentation of awards to deserving MDAs and top government officials, recognizing their commitment and achievements in driving the digital transformation agenda.
The ceremony underscored the Federal Government’s resolve to build a modern, responsive, and citizen-centered public service aligned with global standards of efficiency and transparency.
