The directive, issued by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, was made during a digital transformation summit held in Abuja to mark the 20th anniversary of Galaxy Backbone, which provides core digital services to government institutions.
Walson-Jack said the era of informal digital communication within the civil service is over, stressing that official transactions must now take place exclusively through secure institutional systems. “Government business cannot continue to depend on personal email addresses, informal channels, and scattered records,” she stated.
She further emphasised the shift in stronger terms, declaring: “Thanks to Galaxy Backbone, the days of Yahoo Mail are over for transacting government business. When an officer leaves a desk, government information must not leave with that officer; institutional memory must remain within government.”
According to her, more than 115,000 active official GovMail accounts have already been deployed across the civil service to ensure communications are secure, traceable, and professionally managed. The new system is designed to centralise official correspondence and prevent the loss of sensitive information when personnel change roles or exit government service.
The reform is part of a broader digital transformation agenda that aims to fully digitise workflows across all 38 federal ministries and extra-ministerial departments by the end of December 2025. Officials describe this milestone as a major step toward a paperless, more efficient bureaucracy.
Walson-Jack reflected on the inefficiencies of past administrative systems, noting that physical file movement often led to delays or loss of documents. In contrast, she argued that digital systems would improve transparency, accountability, and traceability in government operations.
“For us in the Federal Civil Service, digitalisation is not a slogan or a ceremonial project but a practical reform aimed at improving the way government works,” she said, adding that the goal is not simply to eliminate paper but to reduce delays and strengthen institutional efficiency.
She also commended Galaxy Backbone for providing the underlying infrastructure, including cloud services, GovMail, and high-speed connectivity, describing it as essential to the success of Nigeria’s digital government ambitions.
“You are not simply providing technology; you are supporting governance, enabling continuity, and helping government to work as one connected system. No digital government can stand without a strong backbone,” she added.
Speaking at the same event, Managing Director and CEO of Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, highlighted the growing importance of data in the global economy, arguing that digital information has become more valuable than traditional commodities such as crude oil. He urged the government to accelerate its digital transformation agenda in line with global trends.