FG unveils OneGov ECMS to boost digital shift in mining sector

By : Ernest Nzor

Date: 13 December 2025 11:30am WAT

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The Federal Government has launched the OneGov Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS), marking a major milestone in the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda.

It also said the achievement underscored the decisive shift driven by the administration since assuming office.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, described the launch as “A monumental step that reflects the new colours of success, progress and efficiency in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.”

The launch, attended by top government officials and industry stakeholders, positioned the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) as the first agency under the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to fully deploy the OneGov ECMS, an intelligent, sovereign digital platform designed to eliminate paperwork, strengthen document security, streamline workflows and enhance service delivery across Nigeria.

Alake said: “When we came in, MCO revenue stood at about ₦6 billion. Through creative policymaking, disciplined execution, and the right signals sent to the industry, we doubled that within a year. As you said, this year we are almost set to triple it, and that is the trajectory we have now established for the entire sector.

“The Mines Inspectorate has also seen its revenue intake rise. All other revenue-generating departments have recorded similar upward trends. In total, last year the sector generated about ₦38 billion. This year, we have already crossed the ₦50 billion mark, and we are still counting.

“So I must thank the staff and management of this agency for keeping pace with our vision. But let me be clear: there are still challenges. Beyond physical challenges, the most important challenge, not just in the MCO, not just in the Ministry of Solid Minerals, but across the country, is the challenge of mental development.

“When you give people the best tools but the mental development does not match the level of the physical tools, the result is social disorder, what we call social anomie. It manifests as corruption, laziness, indolence, laxity, lethargy, inertia, all negative attributes that reduce efficiency and degrade service delivery.

“Nationally, we need mental reorientation. I am fully in support of deploying technology across all sectors of the economy, but we must pair the technology with the right mental attitude. Otherwise, these tools cannot serve us the way they are meant to.”

Alake revealed that digitisation, strict enforcement, and improved licensing processes have sharply increased government revenue from the sector. He also shared a personal experience of the advantages of the digital shift.

He praised the MCO for eliminating bottlenecks and accelerating service delivery, adding that the transformation had restored investor confidence.

The Minister also praised the MCO for dismantling bottlenecks, restoring investor confidence and providing a model for other agencies.

He commended Galaxy Backbone for powering the OneGov system but urged the agency to ensure uninterrupted connectivity to prevent workflow disruptions.

He also applauded Galaxy Backbone for powering the OneGov system but urged the agency to ensure uninterrupted internet connectivity to prevent workflow disruptions.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, also praised the MCO’s leadership, describing the deployment as evidence of “exemplary commitment to modernization in this age of AI and digital systems.”

He stressed that OneGov is “Not merely an automation tool, but a secure, intelligent digital backbone capable of transforming governance. As the first department under the ministry to go live, the MCO is raising the standard and providing a model for others to follow.”

In his remarks, the MCO Director-General, Engr. Obadiah Simon Nkom, described the go-live as a historic step for public sector efficiency.

He recounted the agency’s revenue trajectory: “In 2023, we celebrated ₦6.7 billion, up from ₦4 billion the previous year. Then the Minister took charge and we hit ₦12 billion. Today, from that ₦12 billion baseline, we have already generated over ₦30 billion.”

Nkom noted that the MCO’s digital progress had earned national recognition, including the NIRA Award for Best Digital and Innovation Agency.

He also highlighted the crucial role of Nigeria’s .ng domain in supporting the government’s paperless initiative, describing it as “one of the most secure domains in the world and the foundation for the .gov cloud.”

Also speaking, the Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, commended the MCO for fully aligning with the OneGov Cloud agenda.

He said: “The MCO is demonstrating what is possible through leadership, collaboration and digital courage.”

Galaxy Backbone pledged ongoing capacity building, technical support and user adoption assistance to ensure full optimisation of the ECMS.

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