Nigeria: Tinubu orders complete digitization of MDAs

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday said the era of manual inefficiency in Nigeria’s public service must give way to a culture of speed, transparency and technology-driven governance, as he instructed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to deepen digitized work processes within the federal bureaucracy.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2026 International Civil Service Conference in Abuja, the President said the Federal Government’s reform agenda has begun to produce measurable results, with 38 ministries and extra-ministerial departments already operating on secure, paperless, end-to-end electronic workflow systems.

Addressing participants from across Africa and other parts of the world, Tinubu said public administration transformation remains central to the success of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that no government policy could succeed without a disciplined, capable and efficient public service.

“The era of manual inefficiency must give way to a culture of speed, transparency, data-driven decision-making and citizen-centric services. Public administration becomes faster and smarter,” the President said.

Tinubu said the conference theme, “Reforms, Resilience and Results”, reflects Nigeria’s transition from political aspirations to practical implementation and measurable impact.

According to him, the Nigerian public service, over the past eleven months, has demonstrated resilience and adaptability amid global economic pressures and rising national expectations.

“You are the engine of national transformation. Today that engine is becoming faster, smarter, more responsible and more responsive to the needs of our people,” the President told public officials and development partners at the conference.

The President said that when his administration first pushed for digitalization in 2025, many saw it as an ambitious long-term vision, but he said the country is now seeing concrete progress in modernizing governance systems.

He explained that digital reforms are designed not only to improve the government’s internal operations, but also to promote efficiency, investment, innovation and inclusive economic growth.

Tinubu also linked ongoing civil service reforms to broader national economic ambitions, particularly the government’s digital infrastructure push under the BRIDGE – Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth project.

Recalling discussions at the recent Africa CEO Forum in Rwanda, the President said Nigeria is positioning itself as a leading destination for investment in digital infrastructure that can create jobs, expand connectivity and improve the delivery of public services.

“As we accelerate our digital transformation journey, we welcome investors and partners to participate in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure ecosystem,” he said.

He added that government agencies need to adopt digitalization not only in administrative processes but also in service delivery systems to meet the expectations of modern governance.

The President revealed that the staff audit and skills gap analysis authorized at the 2025 conference was nearing completion, saying the initiative would help the Government identify skills gaps and employ workers more effectively.

According to him, the exercise marks a move away from assumptions about institutional capacity towards evidence-based workforce planning.

“We are identifying gaps, strengthening skills and ensuring the right people are placed in the right roles,” he said.

Tinubu stressed that the reforms aim to equip public servants with the digital skills and professional discipline needed for effective 21st century governance.

The President particularly commended the Head of the Federation Civil Service, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, for what he described as exemplary leadership in the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025.

He particularly praised the implementation of innovative tools, including the Service-Wise GPT platform, saying it demonstrated the possibilities that emerge when visionary leadership combines with disciplined execution and institutional ownership.

Tinubu also applauded ministries, extra-ministerial departments and agencies for sustaining collaboration and reform momentum, stressing that Nigeria was gradually emerging as a continental benchmark in public sector transformation.

The President challenged conference participants to focus on the practical and measurable results of reforms rather than rhetoric.

“This Conference must therefore act as a laboratory of results,” he said.

He urged delegates to address crucial issues regarding accountability, institutional continuity, technology-based service delivery and the sustainability of reforms beyond political administrations.

Tinubu argued that the world was watching Nigeria’s reform efforts while Nigerians themselves expected concrete improvements in governance and public service delivery.

“Our responsibility is to justify their trust by building a civil service that is efficient, ethical, professional, innovative and firmly committed to national development,” he said.

The President formally declared the International Civil Service Conference 2026 open.