FG’s Digital Reform Deepens as Ministry Goes Live on 1-Gov Cloud

Bennett Oghifo

The Federal Ministry of Works formally joined the league of Ministries, extra-ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the 1-GOV Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform, marking a major milestone in its transition from analogue operations to a secure, efficient, and fully digital work processes and flows.

The Go-Live event took place on Tuesday, 23 December, 2025 at the Ministry’s Headquarters, bringing together the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Transformative Permanent Secretaries, senior government officials and Civil Servants, and key stakeholders committed to advancing the digitalisation of the Public Service.

Speaking at the event, the  Minister of Works, David Umahi, who was represented by the Minister of State, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, Esq., expressed delight at the presence of the HCSF for the launch.

He commended her dedication to institutional reforms and digital transformation across the Service, describing the Ministry’s transition as a thing of joy and pride.

He pledged the leadership’s full support for the initiative and its successful implementation.

The HCSF, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, hailed the launch as a demonstration of the Ministry’s readiness to align service delivery with modern, secure, and efficient digital best practices. She highlighted the Ministry’s critical role in national development, through the planning, construction, reconstruction, expansion, rehabilitation, and maintenance of the Federal road network that connects communities, enables commerce, and facilitates economic growth. “Strengthening its information management systems,” she noted, “is both timely and strategic.”

Mrs. Walson-Jack commended the Ministry’s leadership for their foresight and shared commitment to a seamless transition. She also praised Directors and staff for their openness to change, saying that “in a sector where records, approvals, and institutional memory are fundamental, the deployment of the ECM solution reinforces professionalism, continuity, and accountability.”

She further emphasised that the migration extends beyond technology, representing a fundamental improvement in how work is organised, decisions are documented, and collaboration is enabled. Furthermore, with its integration into the 1-Gov. Cloud ecosystem, the Ministry is now better positioned to operate seamlessly and securely, in alignment with broader Public Service standards.

The Head of Service hinted that this achievement follows the successful migration of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), some time ago, to reflect growing momentum in collective digitalisation efforts across the Service. She added that the epoch-making initiative contributes meaningfully to the Federal Government’s roadmap for the full digitalisation of work processes and flows by 31 December, 2025, which advances Pillar 5 of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP 25). She further acknowledged Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Limited for its professionalism in hosting the digital infrastructure, which strengthens data sovereignty and provides a shared, secured digital platform, in line with one of the items on the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR – improving governance for effective service delivery.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Adeladan, welcomed guests and staff to the Go Live ceremony and expressed gratitude to the HCSF for attending the formal unveiling. He described the occasion as a defining moment in the Ministry’s journey towards a more efficient, transparent, and digitally driven operation.

Mr. Adeladan also expressed appreciation to His Excellency, President Tinubu, GCFR, for his visionary leadership and commitment to Public Service reforms, noting that the support and approvals received made the milestone reachable. He explained that “the Ministry’s digital transformation journey began on 19 April, 2023 as a comprehensive reform programme to eliminate manual processes through the deployment of ECM solutions. The programme, according to him, was implemented in two strategic phases: Phase One, completed in 2024, laid the foundation for system deployment and digitisation, followed by Phase Two, covering application deployment, secure cloud hosting, experimental onboarding, and extensive capacity building.

Among the key achievements highlighted were the rollout of the DocuFlow ECM software, using a hybrid on-premises and cloud infrastructure, the creation of over 2,000 official email accounts to enable secure electronic correspondence, and the establishment of a dedicated ECM scanning centre to support ongoing digitisation. Capacity building remained central to the transition, with numerous training, onboarding, and awareness programmes conducted across departments, units, and field offices.

The Permanent Secretary further disclosed that the Ministry has digitised over 70% of its records, despite the volume and complexity of the documentation being attended to. He disclosed that collaboration with the OHSCF, the OECD ECM Preparation Team, and GBB has strengthened institutional efficiency, secured records management, and improved service delivery to Nigerians.

Lagos to Partner NIOB on Physical Planning Law Enforcement

Bennett Oghifo

The Lagos State Government has indicated its readiness to partner with the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Lagos State Chapter, to strengthen physical planning processes and ensure orderly, safe, and sustainable development across the State.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide disclosed this while receiving members of the Institute during a courtesy visit to the Ministry on Monday.

Dr. Olumide explained that the State Government’s focus was on proactive physical planning measures, stressing that effective development control begins from strict adherence to approved layouts, building plans, and professional standards at the earliest stages of construction.

He maintained that compliance with planning regulations remained the most effective safeguard against structural failure, while linking failures in development outcomes to compromised planning standards, substandard designs, excessive client interference, political pressures, and human errors.

According to the Commissioner, developments carried out without due regard to physical planning approvals and supervision by qualified professionals posed serious risks to lives, property, and the physical environment.

Dr. Olumide further stated that any construction site operating without the engagement of registered and competent building professionals should not be allowed to proceed, adding that the Ministry would continue to insist on professionalism and planning discipline across the State.

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Physical Planning, Engr. Oluwole Sotire,   emphasising the importance of sustained public awareness on planning laws and regulations, said that the government was open to deeper collaboration with professional bodies to strengthen compliance and enforcement as early compliance with physical planning requirements would significantly reduce avoidable losses and wastage of resources.

The General Manager, Lagos State Informal Space Management Authority (LASISMA), Tpl. Daisi Oso highlighted the need for developers to embrace proper planning, land-use conformity, and strict adherence to approvals to significantly reduce development failures and promote a more orderly physical environment.

Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Institute of Building, the Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter, Bldr. Owolabi Rasheed Ayoola stated that the visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration with the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development as a critical stakeholder in the built environment.

He added that the Institute also used the opportunity to congratulate the Commissioner on his recent awards, describing them as the recognition of his contributions to the sector.

A veteran member of the delegation, Bldr. Kunle Awobodu, who assured of the Institute’s continued support for efforts toward promoting professionalism and compliance in the sector, said that non-compliance with approved building plans remained a major challenge within the building construction industry, while praising the Ministry for making positive impacts in entrenching planning discipline.