By Okon Okon, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
On Dec. 31, 2025, Nigeria’s Federal Civil Service reached a major milestone as all 33 federal ministries and five extra-ministerial departments transitioned to fully paperless operations.
This marked a deliberate shift from decades of manual bureaucracy.
With the issuance of over 100,000 official GovMail accounts to civil servants nationwide, physical filing systems and in-office paper correspondence have now been formally phased out across the service.
Far from a routine administrative upgrade, the reform replaces the familiar system of files and folders with a digital workflow.
It is anchored on secure, auditable and traceable collaboration tools, including official email platforms, document repositories and automated workflow systems.
At the heart of the transformation is the 1Government (1Gov) Cloud and an Enterprise Content Management System (ECM) deployed by Galaxy Backbone, the Federal Government’s information technology agency.
Together, these platforms enable digital document storage and retrieval, secure communications through GovMail, workflow automation across ministries, and virtual meetings and approvals.
They also strengthen data security through sovereign hosting within Nigeria’s infrastructure.
Consequently, the once pervasive stacks of paper across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been replaced with integrated digital processes, ushering Nigeria into a new phase of public administration.
Beyond Nigeria, global and regional studies indicate that paperless and digital public service reforms greatly improve efficiency, transparency and service delivery by reducing processing times, minimising file losses and strengthening accountability.
Evidence from Africa and other regions further shows that governments which adopt digital workflows record productivity gains and cost savings, alongside improved public trust.
However, research also reveals persistent challenges, including infrastructure gaps, cybersecurity risks and uneven digital capacity among public servants, which can affect the pace and impact of reform.
Against this backdrop, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, said the development was a bold departure from a legacy paper-based bureaucracy to a modern, accountable and digitally enabled public service.
“Simply put, all ministries in the Federal Civil Service are now paperless,” she said.
According to her, the achievement reflects years of deliberate and sustained reform by successive administrations.
She recalled that the push for digitalisation was first prioritised under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP) 2017–2020, launched during the tenure of Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, with the introduction of the ECM.
The reforms, she added, were further deepened under Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan through the FCSSIP 2021–2025, which expanded the ECM into a broader digital content services framework aimed at improving information flow, decision-making and service delivery.
Walson-Jack noted that when she assumed office in August 2024, only three Ministries and Extra-Ministerial Departments (MEMDs) had partially adopted paperless operations.
“Today, that number has expanded to 38 MEMDs, comprising 33 ministries and five extra-ministerial departments,” she said.
These include the State House, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Federal Civil Service Commission, and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
A major breakthrough, according to the HoCSF, has been the expansion of official government email accounts.
“In August 2024, no fewer than 20,000 official email addresses existed. Today, over 100,000 GovMail accounts have been created, ensuring that all civil servants now use secure and auditable government email identities,” she said.
She explained that the GovMail platform has strengthened government control over official correspondence, improved responsiveness across MDAs, and saved the Federal Government billions of naira by eliminating fragmented external email subscriptions.
Walson-Jack said the paperless milestone formed part of the declaration of 2025 as the ‘Year of Accomplishment’ under the FCSSIP reform agenda, themed “Final Sprint – Delivering Results”.
Looking ahead, she said the Office of the HoCSF would extend implementation to all departments and agencies, while prioritising post-implementation optimisation, compliance monitoring, cybersecurity enhancement and further digitisation of workflows.
She disclosed that, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a service-wide Training-of-Trainers programme would be launched in January 2026 to train 500 officers who would, in turn, cascade digital skills across MEMDs.
In addition, engagements are ongoing with development partners to provide enabling hardware, improve internet connectivity and develop a sustainable pricing model to keep digital platforms affordable and scalable.
As part of efforts to fully end paper-based bureaucracy, Walson-Jack announced that the 38 ministries and extra-ministerial departments would no longer accept paper submissions through physical registries.
“All correspondence must now be sent to official registry email addresses, which are available on the Office of the HoCSF website. Citizens can also track their correspondence through the Federal Civil Service Paperless portal,” she said.
She explained that citizens and organisations can now engage the government through scanned letters sent via email, a move expected to improve audit trails, reduce lost files and accelerate service delivery.
Overall, she said the paperless transition aligns with Nigeria’s national development priorities and international best practices, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to a modern, transparent and performance-driven civil service.
Also speaking, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, described the adoption of paperless processes as a critical step towards building a modern, efficient and citizen-centred public service.
According to him, the shift is more than a technological upgrade; it represents a fundamental change in culture, mindset and service delivery within the public service.
“The initiative prioritises efficiency over bureaucracy, transparency over opacity, and accountability over discretion,” he said.
He commended the Office of the HoCSF under Walson-Jack for its consistency and commitment to reform, noting that the initiative aligns with the FCSSIP 2021–2025 and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He urged MDAs to institutionalise digital processes, safeguard data integrity, invest in capacity building and ensure that reforms endure beyond individual office holders.
On his part, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone Ltd., Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, stated that the paperless initiative was a defining milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.
He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s drive towards a fully digital civil service and commended the HoCSF for providing clear direction and renewed momentum.
Adeyanju also praised Permanent Secretaries, Directors and civil servants for embracing digital workflows despite the challenges associated with change.
According to him, most MDAs have commenced or are actively transitioning their operations to the 1Government Cloud (1GC) platform, laying the foundation for a smarter and more responsive public service.
For many observers, the shift represents more than a technological upgrade; it signals a potential redefinition of governance itself.
However, concerns persist around cybersecurity threats, unstable power supply, unreliable network services and gaps in ICT capacity among civil servants.
Mr Luke Ekere, a civil servant, described the move as strategic, ambitious and transformative, noting that it alters how government functions, how citizens interact with the state and how public administration is measured.
Nevertheless, he warned that digital systems remain vulnerable to hacking and data breaches.
“Strengthening cybersecurity and backup systems is critical. For citizens to engage meaningfully with digital governance, access to digital tools and affordable internet is essential,” he said.
He added that inconsistent power supply and connectivity across regions could limit full adoption and create uneven performance.
Similarly, another civil servant, Mrs Alice Ukpana, stressed the need for sustained capacity building, especially for older workers accustomed to paper-based systems.
“With this initiative, anxiety among workers who are not digitally inclined is inevitable. Training will be critical,” she said.
All in all, for Nigerian public servants and citizens alike, the reform could eventually translate into faster responses, fewer lost applications and improved access to public services.
As Nigeria moves beyond files and folders, analysts say the ultimate success of the paperless initiative will depend not only on technology, but on leadership, training and sustained political will.
If effectively implemented, analysts say the reform could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s quest to compete globally for efficient, transparent and accountable governance in the digital age. (NANFeatures)
***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.