Nigeria's Digital First Governance Initiative Launched

The Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with the National Assembly and the Judiciary, has announced the adoption of a 'Digital First Governance' strategy across all public institutions. This resolution was co-signed by Chief of Staff and Deputy Speaker Sam Hart and Fortun Toma, Director of GovTech Africa Inc., following a roundtable held at the National Assembly Library Resource Centre in Abuja.

The initiative aims to address Nigeria's digital governance challenges, which are primarily cultural rather than technological. Key issues include the absence of enforcement mechanisms and the existence of siloed systems that hinder interoperability across government institutions.

The roundtable emphasized the need for immediate legislative action, urging the National Assembly to pass the e-Government Bill swiftly. The resolution also calls for the establishment of a permanent multi-stakeholder digital governance council to harmonize policies and track implementation progress, with a target review set for 2027.