Nigerian Civil Service Set To Go Fully Digital By December 2025, FG Announces.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared that the nation’s civil service will achieve full digitisation by 31 December 2025, marking a significant milestone in its ambitious public sector reform agenda. The announcement, made by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, during a press conference in Abuja, underscores the government’s commitment to modernising administrative processes and enhancing service delivery across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Speaking at the World Press Conference ahead of the 2025 International Civil Service Week and African Public Service Day, scheduled for 25-26 June, Mrs Walson-Jack highlighted the progress made under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25). She revealed that 11 ministries have already transitioned to fully digital operations, with others at various stages of adopting paperless systems. “The race to December 31, 2025, is on. By the grace of God and through our hard work, the civil service will be fully paperless by then,” she stated, emphasising that the initiative extends beyond eliminating paper to automating workflows and operational processes.
The shift to a paperless system is anchored on the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system, which has been successfully piloted in several MDAs. This system facilitates digital record-keeping, electronic memo systems, and workflow automation, aiming to eliminate manual file movement, reduce delays, and enhance transparency. Mrs Walson-Jack noted that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service has already gone paperless, setting a precedent for other MDAs to follow. “We’re not asking them to do what we haven’t done,” she added.
To ensure a smooth transition, the government has launched extensive training programmes, with 600 civil servants currently undergoing digital literacy training and capacity-building in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Additionally, 31,000 civil servants now use official government email accounts, supported by an increase in email slots allocated by Galaxy Backbone from 10,000 in 2009 to 100,000 to date. A recent study tour to Singapore, involving federal and state civil service leaders, has also provided valuable insights to accelerate reforms.
The initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, aiming to reduce operational costs, enhance data security, and support environmental sustainability. The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Mr Olusade Adesola, urged MDAs to fast-track their digitalisation efforts, with guidance available from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service. Stakeholders have praised the move as a bold step towards a more efficient and responsive public service.
Mrs Walson-Jack also highlighted plans for the 2025 Civil Service Week, which will feature events to celebrate excellence and reinforce the reform agenda. The introduction of a Unified Writing Style Manual and the reintroduction of the Culture Change Song and Video are among the initiatives aimed at fostering professionalism and a citizen-centred public service.
As Nigeria approaches the FCSSIP25 deadline, the Federal Government’s push for full digitisation signals a transformative leap towards a world-class civil service, poised to deliver smarter, faster, and more transparent services to its citizens.
