BY: SANI MAGAJI GARKO
The Arewa Professionals Forum (APF) has urged the Federal Government to accelerate the implementation of digital governance and paperless administration across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), saying recent developments surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) underscore the need for stronger institutional reforms.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Auwal Muhammed, the forum said the issues arising from the PFIPC should serve as a lesson for strengthening government systems rather than focusing solely on assigning blame.
According to the forum, eliminating manual processes in public administration would reduce delays, improve documentation and verification, and strengthen accountability across government institutions.
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“The lesson from the PFIPC issue is not simply about identifying procedural gaps; it is about recognising the urgent need to eliminate manual processes that often create opportunities for delays, weak documentation and verification challenges. The solution lies in accelerating digital transformation across the Federal Civil Service,” the statement said.
The forum commended the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation under Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack for pursuing what it described as one of the most ambitious digital reform programmes in Nigeria’s public service.
It cited the implementation of the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) System, GovMail, the 1-GOV Cloud Platform and other technology-driven initiatives aimed at modernising governance and reducing dependence on paper-based processes.
According to APF, the reforms are gradually replacing cumbersome manual procedures with secure digital platforms capable of promoting transparency, accountability, faster decision-making, improved record management and seamless communication among government institutions.
The forum argued that full digitization of official communication, approvals, document verification and institutional records would significantly reduce administrative lapses by creating reliable audit trails and strengthening transparency.
It maintained that expanding digital governance across all MDAs would make procedural shortcomings easier to detect, monitor and prevent.
“It is precisely because of challenges such as these that the Head of the Civil Service has consistently championed the vision of a technology-driven, paperless Federal Civil Service. The ongoing reforms are designed to build stronger institutions where technology supports transparency, accountability, efficiency and public trust,” the forum stated.
The APF further observed that the impact of the ongoing reforms is already being felt in several federal institutions, particularly in Northern Nigeria, through improved digital service delivery, electronic correspondence, merit-based processes, online examinations, digital performance management, payroll integrity and enhanced capacity-building programmes.
It stressed that effective digital governance remains critical to improving service delivery in sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure and public administration.
The forum noted that efficient technology-driven systems would enhance coordination among government institutions while strengthening transparency and accountability.
“No modern government can continue to rely predominantly on manual systems while expecting world-class transparency and accountability. Nigeria must continue investing in digital governance because technology remains one of the strongest safeguards against administrative errors,” it added.
The APF therefore called on the Federal Government to sustain and expand ongoing digital transformation initiatives across all MDAs, saying full implementation would strengthen institutional integrity, improve inter-agency collaboration, safeguard official records and boost public confidence in governance.
It maintained that reforms being implemented by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation should be consolidated rather than distracted by challenges that should instead provide opportunities for institutional improvement.
“The future of Nigeria’s public service lies in digital transformation. The remarkable progress recorded over the past two years demonstrates that the journey towards a transparent, efficient and paperless government is not only achievable but essential for national development.
“Every MDA should embrace these reforms so that government becomes faster, smarter, more transparent and fully accountable to the Nigerian people,” the statement said.